Ancient World 02 - Raiders of the Nile by Steven Saylor Read Free Book Online Page B

surprised me,” I said. “I was afraid there might be a bloodbath.”
    Melmak shook his head. “A bloodbath takes a lot of work—all that hacking, and cleaning up the mess afterward. It simply wasn’t worth the soldiers’ time. I suspect their commander ordered them to stop the scandalous show and break up the crowd, and that’s exactly what they did—no more and no less.”
    “But why?”
    “Because the king isn’t paying them! He’s not paying anyone any longer—not the workers in the Library or the clerks in the Museum, or the stokers at the Pharos Lighthouse, not even the zookeepers in the royal gardens. He’s run out of money, and everyone knows it. Instead of gold or silver or even copper, people on the royal payroll are being issued promissory notes drawn on the royal treasury. A royal decree has ordered all merchants to extend credit based on those notes, but more and more merchants are now openly refusing to do so. So everyone in royal service is doing as little as possible—including the soldiers. Alexandria is grinding to a standstill.”
    “I hadn’t realized things had gotten so bad,” I said.
    Axiothea nodded. “Bad, and likely to get worse. So says…” Her voice trailed off.
    I raised an eyebrow. “You were about to quote someone?”
    Melmak flashed a knowing smile. “Axiothea was about to quote her mysterious patron.”
    “Patron?” I said.
    “Perhaps you noticed that fancy litter at the front of the audience?”
    “Yes. I saw it arrive.”
    “It seems the fellow inside has taken quite a fancy to our Axiothea.”
    “I never got a glimpse of him.”
    “Neither have we! Nobody knows who he is—except Axiothea. Every now and again, she goes missing for a day or two, and then comes back smelling of some expensive new perfume, and we all know she’s been visiting her rich friend. But will she invite us along? Or even tell us the fellow’s name, or where she’s going, or how long she’ll be gone? No!”
    “Believe it or not, Melmak, some things are none of your business.” Axiothea smiled, but it seemed to me she was straining to keep an even tone.
    “Melmak is just jealous,” said Lykos. “He wishes some wealthy lady would choose him to be her favorite, and shower him with gifts, the way Axiothea’s patron showers her.”
    One of the actors nodded. “That’s why Melmak insists on doing his juggling routine before the show, prancing about practically naked and showing off those muscles—hoping some rich filly will take notice and invite him home with her. Get himself a nice, comfy spot doing stud service, and then—goodbye to acting!”
    They all shared a laugh at this, even Melmak. Axiothea visibly relaxed.
    The sun was hot but the shade was pleasant. Our stomachs were full. Everyone had consumed a generous share of the beer, drinking from the same cup—including the monkey. Because it was my birthday, they had insisted that I drink a double share, and I had not refused.
    While the two women stood to one side, talking, we men sat in a circle around the big palm tree, facing outward, leaning back against the trunk with our legs outstretched. I began to doze. When Bethesda crouched down beside me and touched my hand, I had to struggle to open my eyes.
    “Master, Axiothea wishes to go to the little open-air market off the waterfront. You can see a bit of it, just over there.”
    “Yes, and I was wondering if Bethesda could go with me,” said Axiothea. She stood over me with her hands on her hips, wearing an expression that said she wouldn’t take no for an answer. If Bethesda were a free woman, would she be as brash and willful as her double?
    I hummed and nodded, half-asleep. “I don’t see why not.” Then I smiled, for I happened to know that Bethesda had recently stored up a few coins by sometimes keeping the change when I sent her to make a purchase. She must have brought those coins with her, I thought, and now she intended to spend her meager treasure to buy me