Lea raised her eyebrows. “You have a patient on the Aventine?” It wasn’t exactly the nicest part of the city, bordering the river with a constant stench of rotting fish and refuse.
“When I was leaving here yesterday, I crossed paths with a man who’d dislocated his shoulder. I want to pay him a visit to ensure it’s healing well. I brought another poultice.”
“I hope his smells better,” Lea muttered, her nostrils still full of the cloying scent, as Kallias gathered his things and left her bedroom.
How interesting—the emperor’s personal physician stooping to treat a plebeian stranger. She would have expected a man like him to turn his nose up at the idea of expending his precious skill on anyone without an ancient bloodline.
But his treatment of Lea, though it originated at the emperor’s behest, had been thorough and clearly competent. She could have sworn her wound hurt less since he’d applied that terrible poultice, though she’d never admit it. He could have easily done the bare minimum of stitching her up. He hadn’t been obligatedto return today to check on her, or to promise another visit in a few days.
But he had, and despite herself, she was rather looking forward to seeing him again.
4
AfterleavingPenthesilea,Kalliasmade his way back to Flaccus’s home. The second-floor apartment sat over a bakery, which explained the sack of grain that had broken the man’s fall. The yeasty smell of bread tickled Kallias’s nostrils as he mounted the steep outside staircase to the second story landing.
Sextus, the young man, opened the door at his knock. “Oh! It’s you. Please come in.” He eagerly beckoned Kallias inside. The front room of the apartment was small and dimly lit, but clean. A woman, sitting at a loom near the single window, rose to her feet when Kallias entered. Her gaze swept over him from head to toe, a wary look entering her eyes as she assessed his fine clothing.
Kallias nodded respectfully to her. “Lady. My name is Kallias. Forgive the intrusion. I met your husband and son yesterday, and I wished to see how his injury fared.”
“Ah, yes. I’m Vibia, Flaccus’s wife.” She returned his nod. “We owe you our gratitude for your assistance yesterday, but I’m afraid we don’t have the funds to spare for a physician. I don’t want to waste your time.”
Kallias waved a hand. “No payment is necessary. I’m lucky to be well-compensated by my employer. I can see the occasional patient on a complimentary basis.”
“Very well,” Vibia said. “Sextus, fetch your father.”
Sextus disappeared into the second room and reappeared a moment later with Flaccus. Kallias was pleased to see the man’s arm still bound in the sling Kallias had put it in. At leastsomeonelistened to him, he thought darkly.
“My husband claims you told him he needed total rest,” Vibia said as Sextus helped Flaccus into a seat at the central table. “Been waiting on him hand and foot since yesterday—not that that’s much different from usual.” She gave her husband a good-natured scowl.
“I’m only following the physician’s orders!” Flaccus protested. “Far be it from me to reject medical advice.”
“I did tell him to rest,” Kallias admitted. “His arm should stay in a sling for a few weeks until it’s fully healed.” Kallias untied the sling. He questioned Flaccus about his pain level and tested the range of motion in his shoulder. Everything seemed to be progressing as expected, so he withdrew the second container of poultice, a slightly different formulation than the one he’d used on Penthesilea, since the skin wasn’t broken. He bade Flaccus remove his tunic, leaving the man clad in a loincloth, and Kallias spread the poultice on the injured joint.
Sextus hovered at Kallias’s shoulder. He sniffed as Kallias doled out the thick salve. “Is that…frankincense? And vinegar, and…something else?” He took another inhale. “Galbanum?”
“Yes,” Kallias said, impressed that the young man had recognized the spicy fragrance of the plant resin. “You have a very astute nose.”
Sextus beamed. “What does it do?”
“It should reduce the swelling and lessen the pain,” Kallias said. “The shoulder would heal without it, but this will hasten the process.”
“Thank the gods for that,” Vibia muttered. But the hand she laid on her husband’s good shoulder was gentle, and there was unmistakable warmth in her eyes as she gazed down at him.
“I’ll leave that with you,” Kallias said, gesturing to the container. “You can reapply it once or twice a day. I’ll bring some more the next time I’m in this area.”
Kallias accepted their thanks with a nod, then bid the family goodbye and made his way back down the stairs to the street. As he walked back toward the palace, he couldn’t help contemplating the family, especially the easy rapport between Vibia and Flaccus. It sparked a bittersweet tugging sensation in his chest. No one had ever looked at him that way.
Kallias had precious little experience with the concept of family. Born into slavery, he’d been soon parted from his mother, and ended up in service to a physician with one of the Roman legions stationed in Greece. Kallias had learned the healing arts from his master, and after a few years, they’d moved to serve the legion commanded by Gaius’s father. Soon, he and his master became attached to Gaius’s household, and when his master died, Kallias assumed the position in his stead.
He’d had friends over the years, of course, and lovers too, but no one to whom hebelonged. His life had been fraught enough that it was a blessing to only have to worry about himself. But now, he wanted more.
No, that was dangerous territory. He needed to appreciate what he had, and stop longing for things he never could.
Kallias had barely stepped foot within the walls of the palace when an anxious young man jogged up to him.
“Sir!” The youth, one of the household slaves, grabbed his arm. “The emperor has been looking for you. It’s Julia Drusilla—she’s dying!”
Kallias let out a tight sigh. He’d been expecting this. “She’s not dying, but I’ll attend to her straightaway.”
