Like Fire Through Bone Read Free

with two of her female servants and one of her eunuchs in attendance. Unmistakable in severe-gray linen, Lady Eudoxia was small, with fine features and gray hair braided and piled on top of her head.
    “Thank you for coming so promptly to see us,” Eudoxia said to Doctor Kasim, leading him from the front hall into one of the receiving rooms. She settled herself on one of the couches, flanked by her serving women, with her eunuch kneeling at her feet. “My husband has been having much trouble breathing, and his cough has worsened. If Vasilios had not sent for you, I would have.”
    “I see,” Doctor Kasim said with a curt nod. “I would like to attend Lord Panagiotis myself and observe his condition, if you will excuse me?” He bowed, and Eudoxia nodded. Her eunuch stood, and after a quick glance at his mistress, he showed Doctor Kasim out. They passed Vasilios, who knelt on the floor, his head respectfully lowered.
    “Thank you for calling him,” Eudoxia said, turning to Vasilios once the doctor had left.
    Vasilios shook his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. “It is my duty.”
    “Yes.” There was a rustle of fine cloth as Eudoxia stood along with her serving women. “But not many attendants, slave or free, are as forward thinking as you, or take the initiative. But then, you were always the independent-minded one.”
    Vasilios didn’t say anything to that. He stayed on his knees, his gaze on the floor, and Eudoxia laughed.
    “I know many who would have beat that independence out of you when you were still young, especially since you were not born a slave, but I think that is a mistake. I always prefer my servants to be able to think and make decisions for themselves when necessary. It is an admirable quality, especially in a eunuch. And it is a good thing for you that Panagiotis agrees with me on this, if nothing else.” She turned and headed for the door, followed by her serving women.
    Vasilios waited until she was gone before he stood. If Eudoxia was attending to Doctor Kasim, then he was hardly needed. She would be sure to inform him if there was anything he needed to know after the doctor’s visit. There were still contracts to read over and a buyer to find. After that, he might go and train in the courtyard for a few hours before overseeing dinner. He turned and headed back up to his room.
     
     
    O NE of the things Vasilios hated most was when the family turned matters of discipline over to him. Everything else he could handle. Many aspects of running the household that Eudoxia or the concubines didn’t feel like doing fell to him, and by and large, Vasilios didn’t mind making sure the kitchen was well stocked or new rugs for the women’s quarters were purchased. Ordering discipline, though, he hated.
    It had been two days since Doctor Kasim’s last visit, and today Markos Özdemir was coming to speak with Panagiotis. Vasilios had woken early that morning, well before dawn, and bathed carefully, although he’d told himself over and over again he was being foolish. He’d dressed with care in a red, finely woven, lamb’s-wool, ankle-length tunic with a gray woven trim, his best leather belt, and gray slippers. The lightness of the gray wool looked fetching when compared to his smoke-dark skin, short-cropped dark hair, and dark eyes.
    He mentally slapped himself for thinking such things. His appearance hardly mattered, beyond that it reflected well on the house for him to look composed and well-groomed. He was no jewel, or eunuch concubine. He’d been castrated too old for that, and even if he had been one, he was far too old by now for anyone to find him alluring. Still, despite his mental scolding, he’d been in quite a good mood as he’d eaten a quick breakfast of fruit, flatbread, and goat cheese, with warm spiced wine.
    Then a guard had knocked on the door to tell him one of the eunuchs that served in the women’s quarter had been found getting drunk on wine intended for