The Arab Fall (A James Acton Thriller, Book #6) (James Acton Thrillers) Read Online Free PDF

him.
    “Not at
all, my dear, I love your cooking.” He lowered his voice. “Especially your home cookin’.”
    “Is that
another American euphemism?”
    Acton
laughed as he led them toward the training area and the ever increasing
gunfire.
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
    Alexandria, Egypt
    12 August, 30 BC
     
    Cleopatra stirred at the sound of her door opening, and immediately
fought to contain her excitement as her servants entered, bringing her usual
supplies for her morning ablutions. Scented hot water, cold water, soaps and
perfumes, a basket of assorted fruits, and another of her favorite figs, the
basket larger than normal.
    But she
successfully contained her glee, and instead simply stood, stance wide, arms
outstretched, as she was attended to by her servants. Their ministrations
seemed impossibly slow today, and her trusted handmaiden looked her in the eye,
then glanced at the basket of figs, and she knew her orders had been fulfilled.
    She
would have her revenge on Octavian, the traitorous heathen who would dare to
usurp a Pharaoh. She knew she had lost, she knew it was over for her, and there
was no way Octavian would get close enough to her for her to exact the revenge
she truly wanted.
    Her
thoughts turned to her children. Her first son, with Caesar, before Antony,
would be named Pharaoh. But Caesarion she knew wouldn’t be allowed to live. Her
heart ached as she thought of her beautiful boy and the pain he was about to
endure after she was dead.
    But at
least it would be short lived.
    There
was no glory in parading a seventeen year old boy through Rome, and no reason
to torture him, for he had done nothing to Octavian.
    He would
die, swiftly, before the notice of his ascension to the throne reached the
outer edges of the kingdom.
    And what
of her other children, those she had with her beloved Antony? Ptolemy, and the
twins Alexander and Cleopatra Selene? Would they too be killed, or would mercy
be shown? She closed her eyes, praying to the gods to spare her children, to
let them live, even if in obscurity, the life of a Pharaoh, or royalty, no life
at all.
    She
waved off her handmaiden who tried to wrap her robe around her shoulders,
instead letting it hang around the tie at her waist, her breasts exposed to the
cool morning breeze making its way through the windows. It was a perfect day. A
beautiful day. And on any other day she would have sailed the Nile were she
permitted, but no more. No more could she rule her people. No more could she
gaze upon her kingdom.
    And no
more could she make love to her dearest Antony.
    She
walked over to the table where the supplies had been placed, and took a drink
of water. She selected a fig, and chewed on it absentmindedly, staring at the
basket, looking for the king cobras that should be at the bottom. She had
requested two, should the first escape, but only one was needed to do the deed.
    She felt
a hand on her shoulder. It was her trusted handmaiden, who had arranged the
delivery. Her eyes were glassed over, but her face strong. Cleopatra gave her a
smile of thanks, then motioned for her to distract the alert eyes of Octavian,
Epaphroditus. Her servant slinked over to the man, her lithe body irresistible
to most, but Epaphroditus ignored her.
    What
is he, a eunuch?
    She bent
down in front of him, and Cleopatra smiled as the man’s eyes were irresistibly
drawn to the remarkable example of womanhood being displayed. He shifted in his
chair.
    Cleopatra
began removing the figs from the basket, and before Epaphroditus noticed, she
had nearly reached the bottom. Sinking her hand into the remaining figs, she
felt something move. She grabbed it tightly, and the basket shook in protest,
drawing the attention of Epaphroditus, who pushed her handmaiden away with a
brush of his large hand.
    Cleopatra
pulled her hand from the basket, revealing the king cobra, a young one, less
than an arm’s length long, but as deadly the day it was born as any adult. She
spun toward Epaphroditus,