He watched as Herod expressed his delight at Salome’s dancing, and set a spark of encouragement through the girl to give her the boost she needed to ask her mother’s boon. He watched Herod’s wife’s malicious delight, and Herod’s dismay, and he watched as Herod ruefully ordered the man’s execution.
          But he could not watch John the ( Read more... )

Children, again. An entire generation of men, gone because of one man’s fear. Azrael wanted to curse Herod, but that would have been pointless. Yet another thoughtless, paranoid ruler. What else was new?

The children he gathered were too young to talk, but old enough to understand. Some of them cried. Most of them were quiet. A few of ( Read more... )