Yet not any of them frightened her more than the offered favor of the Gischalan.

Her indignation at the woman who had supplanted her swept over her with a reflexive flush of heat.
"God of my fathers, judge her in her lies, and pour the fire of Thy wrath upon her!" she exclaimed vehemently.
Amaryllis gazed curiously at the girl.

In her soul, she asked herself if there might not be unsounded depths of fierceness in this nature which she ought not to stir up.
"Thou hast hope," she said tactfully.

"She hath no such beauty as thine!" "Nothing but my proofs!" Laodice broke in.
"And Philadelphus is a young man." "Rejecting her only because I am fairer than she! He is no just man!" Laodice cried hotly.
"Softly, child," the Greek said, smiling; "thou hast said that he is thy husband." Laodice turned away, her brain whirling with anger, fear and shame.
"Well ?" said the Greek coolly, after a silence.
"Where shall I go ?" Laodice asked.
"Thou hast been too tenderly nurtured to go into the streets.

I shall ask John to shelter thee until thou canst care for thyself." Laodice looked at her without understanding.
"Thou canst not stay here for long because the wife to Philadelphus is in a way a power in my house and she will not suffer it.