Harald drew back a hand to quiet him, but I intervened with a word and shake of my head. "I expect you to be condemned for your crimes," I replied. "And then I expect you will die."
Nikos shook his head with slow superiority. "Then friend Justin is right: you will be disappointed."
"We shall see."
"Let me tell you what is going to happen."
Annoyed by his insolence, I turned my face away and made no reply.
"You will go before the emperor with your trifling complaints, all of which I will deny," said Nikos, smug in his certainty. "Lacking any form of convincing proof, the emperor will have your tongues cut out for lying; you will be scourged and condemned to death in the emperor's mines."
His use of the word brought me sharply around once more. "You know so much about mines, do you, Nikos?" I spat, stepping closer. "Do you also know about death?"
"I know the punishment the emperor reserves for his dearest enemies."
"Was Bishop Cadoc an enemy?" I demanded. "And the monks of Eire-were they the emperor's enemies?" Stepping closer, I felt the anger leaping up within me. "Was Eparch Nicephorus an enemy? What of the children on the road to Sebastea? Were they enemies, too?" I stepped closer, my anger rising. "Was Exarch Honorius an enemy, Nikos? And what of the emperor's own mercenaries, King Harald and his Danes, who were in the employ of Basil himself. Are they also enemies?"
He gazed back at me mildly unconcerned, betraying neither fear, nor remorse. Why? Did he require more strenuous convincing?
Putting my hand into my siarc, I brought out the parchment square. "Do you recognize the seal?" I asked. "It is Honorius's seal. He wrote this before your conspirators murdered him."
Nikos looked blandly at the letter, offering an indifferent shrug.
"I saw Honorius before he was killed. I tried to free him. He left this for me." I held the letter before his face. "If you think I lack convincing proof," I said, my voice thick with hatred, "you are wrong. Honorius knew about your plot to kill Emperor Basil. He knew, and he wrote what he knew in this letter."
A strange expression of glee appeared on Nikos's face. "My plot?" he asked with a laugh. "Is that what you believe? Is that why I am made to stand here, bound like a slave for the galley?"
Nikos's laugh roused the interest of the others. Faysal and Brynach translated for their companions, but Harald moved to my side and demanded, "What is he telling you?"
"He shows no concern that the emperor should learn of his crimes."
The jarl's eyes narrowed. Seizing Nikos by the hair, he pressed the swordpoint harder. "By Odin, I will show him cause for concern."
To Nikos, I said, "Do you deny plotting to kill Emperor Basil?"
"How ignorant you are," Nikos replied, his voice tight against the pain in his side. "So righteous, so quick to judge. You know less than nothing, and presume to sit in judgement over me! Let me go, and get out while you can."
"Say what you like, I know you conspired with others to take the emperor's life," I told him, anger turning to rage. "Honorius discovered your treachery, so you took him captive and murdered him. You had Bishop Cadoc and my brother monks killed, too, for no other reason than that they wanted to see the governor. You could not risk having them return to tell the emperor what they saw."
Harald released his grip on the captive's head, but the sword remained firmly in place. "To tell the basileus what they saw?" wondered Nikos; he could not resist displaying his supremacy. "Your Greek is appalling as ever!" His mocking laugh sounded hollow in the voluminous hall. "I think usurper was the word you meant."
I stared at him, trying to make sense of what he was telling me. Harald demanded to know what Nikos said. "He is saying Basil was not the rightful emperor," I replied.
"Do not listen to him," Harald advised. "He is a liar practising his craft."
Ignoring Harald, I glared at Nikos. "What do you mean?"
"Still fumbling in the dark?" Nikos wondered. "Well, I am certain Leo can explain it so that even you and your trained barbarians can understand."
"Usurper-you called Basil a usurper-what did you mean?"
Nikos only laughed at me.
Rage burning within me, I forced myself to turn and walk a few paces away. Harald called after me, "What is he saying?"
Faysal and Brynach hastened to where I stood. "What does he mean?" they asked, confused as I was by what they had heard.
"Quiet!" I shouted. "Let me think!"
Out of the turmoil of my thoughts emerged a memory, clear as a vision: I saw Justin and myself sitting together over a meal. Justin, leaning over the table, was speaking low, and with what at the time I considered malicious delight: "Even the emperor's friends say Basil the Macedonian's ascension owes less to divine appointment, than to the skillful application of the blade." Once again I saw him draw his forefinger knife-like across his throat.
