“And where did you go after you left the witch?”

“Only the marketplace, Master. For fruit.” Lucius looked down at his empty hands.

“Not some temple? You weren’t hanging around with lackwits planning some slave rebellion?”

“No, Master! Only the marketplace!”

“How did you come by a mark of Apollo?”

“I played my flute in the marketplace.”

Master Gaius took a step backward, his head shaking from side to side.

“There was music, Master. You have not forbidden me music. I didn’t disobey you, I swear it. I only stopped for a moment to play my flute with some children.”

“The mark came then?”

“We played a hymn. It pleased the god, or so I thought. I never meant to disobey you.”

“I imagine you didn’t.” Master Gaius sighed and handed the rag back to Sulia. “Too late to do anything about it now, I suppose,” he said. “Maybe the mark will give you some protection from the witch. I had better send a bonus with you when you go tonight, and I’d better make plans to get you more training on that flute. I don’t want the god angry with me.”

“Master.” A tension Lucius didn’t know he was carrying eased from his shoulders.

“Perhaps you can be useful to me in different ways. I could hire you out to religous festvals. I’ll talk to some priests. Go have some lunch, and then take a nap. The gods only know what the witch wants with you; you should probably rest up for it.”

—from “The Curse Tablet” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman