One Night in Rome

January 351 AD:

RETARIUS and JUNIUS consult the Cardinal about the mysterious footprints at the scene of the XX Legion camp fire. Ravens who saw the scene describe a "window man," as deceptively transparent as a window, who appeared, fought another window man, and burst into flames. All this happened in full view of the Wall Streets, the expensive northern neighborhood.

The Cardinal dispatches all his best ghost-hunters and exorcists to the scene.

SYLVIA, BROTHER AQUILA, ROSA, and DECINQUE go back to House Valerius to take up the search for CLERICUS. Using CONNEL's excellent sense of smell, and an address written in the margins of an incomplete criticism of Summa Elvetica, they trail Clericus to an apartment in the Capitoline district. Clericus is hiding out, planning to leave Rome and apply for holy orders somewhere far away, such as Gaul.

When told Clericus is evading the marriage because he wishes to become a priest, Brother Aquila agrees to help him attain his calling. Clericus prepares to move to another hideout, while Aquila pleads his case with the Cardinal.

POUNCEQUICK, meanwhile, takes GNORFANK and goes to the Court of Miracles, where dead men walk and purses fly away. There, in the moneychanging bourse of Dareosh the Knife, he interviews Garikus, a simple tailor who meets a great many interesting people in the course of his day. Garikus explains that Marcus Licinius Crassus, the Richest Man in Rome, wanted the XX Legion out of the way, and Britain is the end of the earth. But someone else changed those orders. Crassus was furious -- he'd paid good money for the XX Legion to be banished! But that someone else met Crassus and traded him a secret -- his daughter, Licinia Artemesia, was secretly in love with someone else, and did not plan to go through with her marriage to Clericus! Crassus, in gratitude (and to avoid a public scandal) allowed the change in the XX Legion's orders to go through.

But who was the mystery patron who wanted the transfer halted? Why, Fabulus Calamus, the tinkerer who invented the new firefighting standpipes installed throughout Rome. Why would an inventor care where the XX Legion goes? That, Garikus does not know.

Sylvia's group goes to the Cathedral to see the Cardinal. Alas, he's away investigating a demon sighting. But they're free to wait and rest, which they do for about an hour until Matins begins. Fortunately, the Cardinal sends for his morning clothes, and Brother Aquila is invited to accompany the messenger to the Cardinal's side.

Brother Aquila puts Clericus' case. The Cardinal promises to take the young man in, irrespective of his father's wishes, if Clericus is worthy. Junius smiles, for he and the Cardinal have already arranged for Clericus to be released from his engagement, and for Junius to marry Artemisia instead.

Pater, also, is delighted with the arrangement, and says so loudly. He's puzzled by Pouncequick's report -- who is this upstart Calamus, to interfere with a family as proud as the Valerians? Pater will have to have him crushed, financially or socially, as soon as the wedding is safely completed.

Meanwhile, Rosa and Peter encounter a pair of invisible men on the Wall Streets, who fight and cause a small fire. Peter thinks one looked elflike, but he did not believe elves could project themselves from their bodies as mortal sorcerors can. This seems similar to what the ravens reported earlier this same night, in about the same place, and may therefore be a clue.

As dawn arrives, Retarius congratulates Junius, saying,

"Of course, you know Artemisia is in love with someone else."

Junius is speechless. His clever knot is slipping already! And never mind Clericus ... he's promised his father AND the Cardinal that this is going to happen!

Suddenly kicking in a door in a dungeon doesn't seem so bad anymore ...