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‘You’re going to be okay. Do you hear me? That’s an order.’

Another arrow hurtled towards Cassius, but it was intercepted by Darius, who dived into his path to repel it.

‘That was close,’ said Cassius. ‘I am lucky you are here, eh?’

They exchanged a soft, curious look, but Claudia didn’t have time to analyse it.

A guttural cry sounded and the prince’s advisor, Mehdi, toppled over, an arrow in his chest.

‘No,’ said Darius, rushing over to him. ‘Not Mehdi, no.’

Medhi reached out to stroke the prince’s face tenderly.

‘Darius, my boy…’

His hand dropped, his eyes frozen open.

Mehdi was dead. Before she could process this, another arrow struck the bench beside Claudia, bouncing off. It came to a standstill next to her sandalled foot.

The arrow’s fletching resembled a thunderbolt, just like the knife she’d found.

‘Go! Now!’ screamed Damocles, seizing the dead guard’s sword. ‘Get the empress out of here!’

Claudia quickly bundled the arrow up into the material of her shroud and helped Cassius pull Gia up onto her feet.

Shielded by a formation of guards, they were hustled out of the imperial box, as Dom carried Athena. The prince shielded them at the rear, briefly looking back at his dead advisor as the panicked crowd trampled over his body.

Numb and dazed, Claudia ran forwards, through the gardens and out into the street, barely aware of anything but Gia, injured beside her.

‘Just hold on,’ she said, as Cassius propped her up. ‘We’ll be out of here soon. We’ll get you help.’

Gia was pale, her eyes half closed.

Looking back, Claudia saw praetorian guards dragging one of the men who’d fired arrows, but she didn’t recognize him. Another man escaped, vanishing into the crowd.

They were just paid servants of a greater master, like the man at the Pantheon. Whoever was pulling the strings was someone unseen, working in shadows, hidden from view.

‘Bring him to the palace,’ she yelled at the guards. ‘I will want to question him, as soon as possible.’

People poured out of the Circus Maximus, screaming and waving. They thought the city was being invaded, despite attempts by the praetorian guards to calm them. Their sudden, panicked appearance in the Forum caused chaos to spread quickly, as citizens ran at the sight of so many charging guards, with no clue what was happening. They fled, some leaving their sandals behind.

Claudia and Gia were bundled into an imperial chariot by Damocles, for safety, though the palace was in walking distance. Cassius climbed in alongside her, followed by the prince and his grizzled-looking guard, who was weeping uncontrollably, praying in Persian.

It was far too many people to fit comfortably, all of them squashed up against each other and panting like dogs. She could smell the sweat of fear, mixed with wine, dirt and blood. The terrible perfume of the Circus Maximus clung to their robes.

Dom, Athena, Rectina and Pliny climbed into another chariot, which followed behind.

As they pulled away, Claudia noticed that several women had taken up arms, guarding the chariot next to the gladiators Livia and Dido as they made their procession along the street.

Dido saw Claudia passing by and… saluted.

Maybe her words had taken hold in some small way, despite the catastrophe that followed.

When Claudia looked back to Gia, she was staring at her.

‘You’re here,’ she said, dazed.

‘Where else would I be, but by your side?’ said Claudia.