“Have I done something wrong again?”
Paulos smiled, the familiar smile that although gentle, failed to reassure Quin. “You didn’t do anything wrong the last time.”
True, he had never said that. But for some reason, Quin still felt like he’d committed some grievous error.
“There is news I think you need to be aware of.”
Quin’s belly tightened. “Is she all right? Did they come back?”
“I assume by ‘she’ you mean Elantia. Yes, she is quite well. No, they haven’t returned.” Paulos locked his hands behind his back and fixed his gaze on Quin. “Elantia has decided to follow the Way of the living God.”
Quin shrugged. “I’m not sure what that means.”
“It means she has forsaken all the false gods and goddesses of her past and has chosen to worship the one and only God.”
“All right . . .”
“Quin, I know you are falling in love with her.”
“I don't know that that’s accurate . . .” His cheeks burned. How could this old man say that? He barely knew either of them.
Paulos laughed. “I may be an old man, but I still remember what being in love looks like. And feels like.”
Quin hated to admit it, but he was probably right. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“If Elantia has decided to be part of the Way, then she cannot be with you.”
He huffed. “Why not? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It makes perfect sense. How can you be together if you do not agree about this most essential thing? How can you build a life with someone when the most important thing in her life means absolutely nothing to you?”
Quin felt his world falling away from him. “I’ll give her permission to go to your temple. Whatever she wants.”
Paulos shook his head. “Quin, this is so much more than that. It is more than going to a temple on feast days and making a proscribed sacrifice. Yeshua is . . . Yeshua is everything. He is our purpose for breathing. He is the reason we can breathe. Because of Him we live and move and have a reason to exist.”
Quin paced, running his hands though his hair. “Then fine, I’ll worship Him too.”
“It’s more than just adding Yeshua to your pantheon of gods, Quin. Yeshua must be the only God in your life, because He is the only God that exists, period. He is the only true God.”
“So let’s say I’m interested in this. At least in thinking about this. What do I do?”
Paulos gestured west. “Loukas has some property outside the city. What if you go spend the day with him, and learn more about Yeshua? Where it will be quiet, away from any distractions, and he can answer any questions you have, I’m sure. Loukas has been a follower of the Way for some time.”
“Distractions. Like Tia.”
“Actually I was thinking of the city, and your work. But yes, her too. This decision cannot be made to please her, or so you can be with her, Quin. There are those who are our enemies.” Paulos grew somber, his customarily light countenance growing dark. “I have suffered mightily for following Yeshua. Understand me, this is not a decision to be taken lightly.”
Why not? At least he would get answers this way. “All right.” He huffed. “What do I have left to lose?”
“Your life.”
That was not the response he expected. “My life?”
“Yes, but there is so much more to gain.” There was that smile again, the look that held a thousand mysteries. “Loukas will explain it to you. By tomorrow it will all make sense. Whether you choose to accept it or not, that is another question entirely.”
Gallus was met with a red-faced, blustering Max as he stepped into his office. Cassia stood behind him. Perhaps he should turn around and go back. It was nearing time for the baths, and if his last visit was any indication, this would not be over quickly.
“Where have you been? I want him arrested. Have you figured out a way to do that?”
“Good morning to you, too, Max. Cassia.” Gallus paused at the door and allowed Leonidas to remove his outdoor shoes and replace them with his sandals. “Sit, please. Let me get you some wine.” Lots and lots of wine. He snapped his fingers at the waiting slave.
Leonidas darted from the room, apparently as happy to leave as Gallus dreaded staying.
He paced before the couple, gathering his wayward thoughts. He had no good news for them.
“First, the girl.”
“The foreigner drove the spirit from her. She can no longer prophesy. It’s quite simple. Arrest him.”
“Exorcism is not against the law.”
“But he has destroyed our business!” Max prowled around the curia like a wounded lion.
“Max, you said you would control your anger.” Cassia gently grasped his bicep and led him to the lectus nearest the window.
“I am controlling my anger!” The man’s roar belied his rage.
“To prove damages, as far as local laws, there is a limit of 1,000 sesterces.”
“I’ll pay that. Happily.”
Cassia patted his knee. “No, dear. I think he means that’s all we can collect.”
“What?” He jumped up from the lectus, fists in the air.
This was going to be so much harder than he feared. “Calm down. I am not finished.” Gallus stepped to the much bigger man and placed his hand on his chest. Now sit.” He glared up at Max, his patience wearing thin already. And he’d barely begun.
Max sat.
Gallus breathed a prayer of gratitude to Jupiter. “That was local law. Now, as far as Roman law is concerned, there are three options, but I’m still not sure you qualify for any of them.”
Max opened his mouth, but Cassia’s hand on his back kept him from speaking. Thank the gods she could control him. Most of the time.
He explained the first two options to them, the ones that required a physical intervention by Paulos. “That leaves corruption of your slave.”
“That sounds promising.” Cassia bobbed her head at Max, who refused to look hopeful.
Leonidas rapped on the door.
“Come,” Gallus commanded of the slave.
The Greek opened the door with one hand, an amphora of wine and three goblets on a silver platter in the other. He set the platter on Gallus’s table and poured the wine.
“Lastly,” Gallus sipped his drink, “although corruption is the only one that does not require a physical action on the part of Paulos, it does require that you prove he acted maliciously, and that the slave has undergone a moral degradation.”
“Well, she ran away, didn’t she?” Max scowled. “Isn’t that morally degraded?” He drained his cup and thrust it toward Leonidas to be refilled.
Gallus winced. “This is more like he caused her to commit a crime.”
Max rested his head in his hands. “We’re ruined. That’s it. We’re . . . ruined.”
“I do have another idea, however.” Gallus snapped his fingers. “My curule.” A shiver of pride crawled down his spine as the oversized, acacia-wood chair was placed across from the couch. No matter how many times he sat in it, the thrill never faded. “Leave us.”
Leonidas shut the door behind him as he hurried out.
Gallus adjusted the voluminous folds of his toga as he sat. “We have no civil remedies, but we may have a criminal one.”
Max’s head popped up. “Criminal? How so? Because they’re Jews?”
“No, no. It’s not a crime to be Jewish. They were, however, most certainly disturbing the peace. I can at least fine them for that.”
“Not that they would have much coin to pay. He’s a drifter. Moving from city to city, no home . . .”
Cassia huffed. “Worse than that, he’s an artisan. He works with his hands, all stooped over as if he had no dignity or mind about him at all. It’s disgraceful.”
Gallus leaned on one elbow, his chin on his fist. “He’s staying with the fabric dealer, the Lydian woman, is he not?”
“Yes. All four of the
m are. Scrounging off her kindness. Parasites, all of them.”
“The physician as well?”
“I believe he has land outside the walls, but he’s been staying in her domus.”
Another citizen he could not afford to alienate. “What did the girl say, when she followed them?”
“Something about being servants of the highest god or some such nonsense.” Cassia waved her hand in the air. “I can’t remember exactly.”
Max leaned forward. “She said they were servants of the highest god and were showing others the way to be saved.”
Gallus rose, remembering his conversation with his scriba. “We can charge them with inciting Romans to follow practices that are illegal for us. If they are encouraging Romans to join an unapproved cult, or even to become Jews, then that is a very serious charge indeed. Our beloved emperor has given them the right to practice their religion, as long as they don’t try to proselytize, which is exactly what they are doing. They’ve strayed outside the very generous bounds Claudius drew for them.”
“So you’ll arrest them?”
“I’m still not sure what punishment I can inflict on them. But I’ll have my lictors send for them.”
“Excellent. But hear me, I want vengeance. I want someone to pay for my devastating loss. And if it isn’t the foreigners—”
Gallus glared. “Are you threatening me? Do not think that because Cassia is my cousin you can say foolish things without repercussion.”
Max’s face relaxed, and Cassia sidled next to him. She placed her hand on her husband’s chest and backed him away. “He’s just expressing his frustration. We trust you’ll do everything you can, Gallus. Thank you for your time.” She hurried him out the door.
They had lost a great deal, that was clear. No one had seen the girl in days. But realistically, he had very few legal options, and he had to follow the law. Most of his remedies were financial, and Paulos and his friends would never be able to repay Max. He could make them Max’s slaves until they could, but who wanted that? It would take a centuria to work off the debt, and even Max wouldn’t want them around that long.
No, the only thing to do was to exile them. Get them out of Philippi and make sure they never returned.
Loukas’s estate just beyond the walls boasted hundreds of trees—Persian apples, apricots, and olives. The aroma of sweet fruit and the rich scent of ripening olives filled the air, surrounding the men as they wandered through the carefully tended grove.
How long had they been talking? It felt like days. Still, nothing made any sense.
“So he was crucified? Why would god allow this, if he was his son?”
“Because there has to be a penalty for sin. When there is disobedience in the army, what happens?”
“There is punishment. Immediately.”
“Or what happens?”
“Then the disobedience becomes rampant. Disorder abounds.”
“Exactly. So the penalty had to be paid. Before, sacrifices were offered. But that was only a temporary solution. They had to be offered over and over again. Yeshua was the final, perfect sacrifice. He was the sinless lamb, without blemish, holy, so his sacrifice could pay for everyone’s sin. Does that make sense?”
“I think so.” Quin dug his thumb into his right hip joint as they walked. “So no more sacrifices?”
“None.”
“Ever? No wine, no grain, no animals?”
“Never again.”
“All right.”
“Then, after that debt was paid, God raised him from the dead.”
Quin halted and faced Loukas. “Oh, I can’t believe that.” Just when it was beginning to make sense. This was a physician, a learned man. How could he relive such nonsense?
“There are hundreds of witnesses. He walked among his disciples for weeks before he was taken back to the Father.”
“It was a spirit.”
“He ate and drank.”
“It wasn’t him, then.”
“One of his disciples, Thomas, said the same thing. He put his fingers in his wounds.”
Hands on his hips, Quin paced back and forth. He had run out of excuses. Why was he trying so hard not to believe? What about this frightened him so much?
“Why did he need to rise from the dead? His death already stopped the sacrifices.”
“His death conquered sin, and his resurrection defeated death.”
“We don’t die?” This was getting as ridiculous as the stories of the Roman gods now. Pluto kidnaps Proserpine. She eats four pomegranate seeds and should have to marry the underworld god, but Mercury, the war god, makes a deal that she will return to live there four months a year. And thus we have winter, while the gods mourn her absence.
Made just as much sense as Yeshua rising from the dead after paying for everyone’s sins.
Loukas glanced at the sun making its way west. He turned and began strolling toward his house. “Of course we die, but only our bodies. Our souls, our spirits, live forever with God.”
“You make it sound easy.” Quin lagged behind.
“It is. All you have to do is believe it. Accept the gift that Yeshua is offering you. By accepting His death and resurrection, we can become His. We are part of His family. We are forgiven, we can live victoriously in this life, and live forever with Him in the next.”
“I don’t know. I’m a warrior. I am trained to accept what I can see, and hear, and touch. I don’t understand any of this. This is a battle that makes absolutely no sense to me. Why would a god do any of this? Why would he send his own son to die for mere mortals? This is not how gods are supposed to act.”
“Because none of those gods are real, Quin. The living God, the God who created the world and everything in it, who created you and me and Elantia, loves us so much He would send His son to die. He would rather die than live without you.”
“No one gives you something for nothing. There has to be a catch.”
“Oh, He does want something.”
“I knew it.” He might as well give up now.
Loukas halted and faced him. “He wants your life. He wants you. He wants every part of you. Your every breath, your every step, your every thought. Every moment, every hour, every day. He wants it all. And in return He offers peace. Not absence-of-war-no-chariots-or-swords-peace, but a calm that digs down deep into your heart and puts it at ease. And joy, not everything-is-working-perfectly happiness, but a joy that quietly takes over your being, that no circumstance can displace.”
Loukas’s pointed gaze caused Quin to shift his weight. Could he even imagine feeling that way? Peace and joy—two things a soldier rarely experienced. Yet here Loukas was offering them up like fruit on a silver tray.
Could it really be that easy?
In Quin’s experience, anything that easy, anything that looked like it was too good to be true, was a trap. Something to be avoided at all costs.
Even if it meant losing Tia.
22
“They brought them before the magistrates and . . . the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.”
Acts 16:20, 22
Tia laughed at Timos. “You can’t be serious!”
“I am. My mater refused to let them leave until they ate more.” Grinning, Timos pushed a lock of his dark hair, unruly even after he had just combed it, out of his face.
“Paulos and Silas?” She glanced toward the brown-robed man seated across from her. “I can’t imagine anyone keeping Paulos from doing anything he wants.”
Chuckling, Timos stuffed a piece of wine-soaked bread into his mouth. “She said they could not possibly survive a journey on what they had eaten. She literally stood in front of the door until they sat down and finished what she had set out.”
Zenobia brought pitchers of juice from the culina and joined them in the peristyle. Syn carried another platter of fruit and cheese.
The late afternoon sun slid behind the roof of the open room, filling it with soft light. Autumn was much
warmer in Macedonia than in Britannia. The sun stayed out longer. Almost everything was better here. She still missed her family, and she was hiding from Max. But now she knew Paulos, Lydia, Loukas, and Quin . . .
And Yeshua.
She selected a thick slice of Persian apple from the platter. This new fruit was so juicy and sweet.
Nodding, Paulos poked his bone needle through a stack of folded parchment covered by a piece of perfectly-sized leather. “It’s true. Eunice is a very determined woman, and her mater is even more so. But that determination is the very reason Timos is here with us today. His pater worshipped the gods of Rome, but they made sure he knew the living God. I visited Lystra the first time with Barnabas, and I taught him about Yeshua. And when I returned, just weeks ago, I brought him with me.” His easy smile broadened. “Convincing them to let him come was no easy task, let me assure you.”
Timos laughed again. “That’s an understatement. It took a lot to get her to let her only child go. Especially after what happened last—”
“Timos.” Without raising his voice, Paulos stopped his much younger partner from continuing. What was he hiding? “Will you pass the grapes?”
“What happened last time?” asked Tia.
Timos concentrated on the platter of fat, purple fruit.
Paulos patted his shoulder. “He’s proving to be an excellent travel companion. We’re very grateful he’s with us.”
The young man’s face softened, and he shrugged. “I haven’t done much.”
“You’re still learn—”
“What happened last time?” she asked again.
A tremendous crash sounded in the front room, a noise like enormous animals had been let loose, sending large objects colliding with the mosaic of the tile floor. Lydia jumped up and ran toward the atrium.
Timos ran after her. “Lydia, wait!”
“Paulos and Silas!” Max’s booming voice preceded heavy footfalls pounding down the hall.
Tia’s chest tightened. Her blood pounded in her ears, blocking all other sound. If they found her . . . She gathered the hem of her tunic. Her gaze darted around the room filled with trees and shrubs, searching for one tall enough, bushy enough to hide her. Finding none, she bolted to the stone steps in the back corner and took them as many at a time as her legs would allow. At the top, she squatted and peered over the edge of the half wall that lined the walkway.
Sold Into Freedom Page 21
