3
The Search
The servant handed a lamp to Argolicus and left him at the door to his room. He was tired, fairly cranky, and took complete affront at Venantius’ arrogance. He was too exhausted to check on Lucius. A good night’s sleep and he knew he would wake up with an answer to what to do next. Somehow he would find Adeodatus.
In the room shadows leaped in the flickering lamplight. The young women in the wall fresco seemed to sway and the trickling from the outside rain brought life to the water pouring from the pot one held as it flowed to the basin below. The geometric patterns on the mosaic floor flashed light and dark in the wavering light. The entire room seemed alive with movement except for Nikolaos curled on the floor asleep, gripping his stylus.
He was so still that for
