A Change of Heart

Friday March 5, 1490

The penalty for murder was death. That much I recalled from Cly's lengthy expositions on the history of Athenian law. But I also remembered that at times the gods would intervene, as when Athena voted to acquit Orestes of matricide, or the jurors would succumb to emotional appeal, as when the incomparable hetaira Phryne bared her breasts during her impiety trial. But now we'd killed Athena, and Ynez would literally choose a death sentence over public nudity.

Also, Athens had long since outlawed stripping as a legal defense. Probably because it worked too well on the lecherous old men who served as our impartial jurors.

Tel was the first to react. His uneaten roll thumping to the floor from nerveless fingers, he exclaimed, "Wait, what happened yesterday? I was gone for one day! I come back and Vanessa's dead?"

Avaris looked steadily at Ynez. "It appears to be the case. Ynez, would you like to tell me your side of the story before the guards arrive?"

Poor Ynez shrank in on herself and addressed the floorboards in a tiny voice I could barely hear, "It's true. I killed her."

His face went even grimmer. "What happened?" he repeated Tel's question, but she opened and closed her mouth, then shook her head and stared at her shoes.

Ghallim, who'd also read Athenian law and knew about the death penalty, objected, "Eet was much more complicated zan zat. You see, zere was a bear, and eet was ze bear zat killed Vanessa. Not Ynez."

Avaris raised his eyebrows at his old comrade in rescue missions. "A bear, in Athens?" He might not have been a hunter or naturalist, but he did know enough about wildlife in Athens to know that, well, there wasn't any.

"Yes, zere are bears around Athens!" Ghallim elaborated. "Did you not know? Tel 'ere and Verrus bani Bjornaer went 'unting just Monday. Zere were Plague bears nearby, not nice at all. Eet was most fortunate zat young Tel and 'is mentor took care of zem." And he shook his head sententiously, like an elder mourning the demise of morals among Athenian youth.

Perhaps we could have used random rampaging bears as an alibi — if Ynez had not spoken just then. "But it was my bear. I summoned it."

Casting Ars Essentiae to silence her had just become a highly attractive option. "Ynez! Don't say anything else before we find an advocate!" I protested. "Avaris, she's exhausted, she didn't sleep at all last night, she has no idea what she's saying...."

Ynez shot a very offended look at me, one that said, Wow, thanks, Marina.

She should thank me. She was the non-citizen who would be tried for murder. And I couldn't even serve on the jury. In terms of legal rights, Athenian women commanded more respect than foreigners (although that wasn't saying much), but were nowhere near the equals of Athenian men, who received citizenship as their birthright. We women had to prove ourselves to the Assembly first.

"I will serve as your advocate if you wish, Ynez," said Avaris. "But I do need you to tell me exactly what happened."

Ynez nodded vigorously, and Ghallim and I exchanged glances of wary relief. On the one hand, Avaris was the mayor of Athens and well respected, as well as a powerful Ars Mentis mage who could manipulate the jury if necessary. On the other hand, one of the (admittedly many) reasons he was so well respected was that he was fair. I didn't trust him to mind control the jury when it came to the vote.

"Maybe we should tell you what happened," I suggested quickly, before Ynez could say anything more damaging.

Ghallim was nodding. "An excellent idea. You see," he said, turning to Avaris, "Vanessa arrived to remove 'er abused child — "