Annia is the wife of Monaxius and along with her husband a long-time friend of Gaius’. She is very protective of her daughters Martha and Ellisa, but becomes directly involved in Monaxius’ return to rioting with Gaius when Martha is kidnapped by Ammianus and threatened with harm or death if Monaxius and Gaius do not do his bidding. Gaius has balked at this, so ruthless Ammianus puts pressure on his friend’s family by kidnapping the little girl.

 

Annia is furious at Gaius for putting her daughter in danger and for bringing her husband back into Gaius’ rioting scheme. Monaxius was the one who wanted to do it, but Gaius hid that from Annia to protect his friend. Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 8, The Accord of St. Euphemia, after Gaius gets Martha back through intimidation and agreeing to go along with Ammianus if he will release the girl…

 

 

I sent Jacob to tell Brother Zazo to end his presence around Ammianus’ house. Eight men walked in a clump, a girl among them – at my side holding my hand, leaning into my short sword as it swung with my steps. People were beginning to move about, kitchen chimneys sending smoke up into the falling snow. Strange light, or lack of it, made it seem like evening. Martha squeezed my hand tight, whispering, “I feel safe with you now, Gaius Galen.”

 

I squeezed her hand back. “You are safe, Martha. We are going home.”

 

Guilt wrenched through me for dragging this innocent thing into danger. She could have been a corpse in that carriage. I could have made the wrong call pressuring Ammianus – or one of Lukos’ still-drunk boys could have attacked the Libyan, bringing on her slaughter. It could have been the end. It was an end, I realized, squeezing Martha’s hand again. My life was no longer my own.

 

A half block from Martha’s building, I recognized standing outside the boy Tedius had engaged as a lookout earlier – and he recognized us, yelling out, “Martha! You’re back!” He ran up the hill to us, hugged Martha and said, “We knew Gaius Galen would get you back. Tedius promised your mother and father he would.”

 

“Did he? Well, Tedius is most always right, and there was never a chance I wouldn’t bring Martha back,” I lied, perhaps to soothe the children and myself.

 

The boy, Pawah, who was from an Egyptian family that lived in the building, took Martha’s hand from me and led us up to her home. It was full of people, instantly joyed to see her. Monaxius was back and Atakam was with him – had been from early on helping him hunt for Martha in the streets after Tedius had someone rouse Atakam to help us out. The seven Macedonians had been given the family table as a gesture of thanks and were eating a simple breakfast of porridge and bread. The others stood around talking and eating bread and dried oranges. Tedius, Annia, her friends and sister, the girls, Lukos and his six filled the kitchen area. When Brother Zazo walked in from his vigil at Ammianus’ house, Martha jumped at him, kissing his bandage all over. The tall one broke into silent tears at the intensity of their reunion.

 

Soon the Macedonian strongmen left – heartily thanked – followed by Annia’s friends, Lukos and his men, and Pawah. Atakam was going to leave, but Monaxius asked him not to, saying, “You stayed with us looking for our daughter, for which I am grateful and honored. I ask that you stay with us now. We can use your advice, can’t we Gaius.”

 

“Yes, we can,” I said, glad that Atakam had answered Tedius’ call and come to help. “Brother Zazo, will you take the girls to their room while the adults talk over a few things? You and I will speak later.”

 

After their departure, I told the others there would be no second chance to get out of this, and that I would do Ammianus’ bidding. Monaxius and Annia insisted they were with me in this, and all agreed that there was no other choice. The first step would be this afternoon, when Annia and the two girls would go with Annia’s sister and her husband in his fishing boat to the Asian side across the Bosphorus, then travel to a second cousin who had a farm 10 miles inland and would help. Annia and the girls would stay there until this was all over.