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‘If you are going to fight with us, there must be rules,’ said Minerva.

‘Boring,’ said Bellona.

‘You will not kill mortals unless they pose imminent danger to others. You will not torture mortals. You will not fornicate with mortals.’

‘No wonder you are prematurely grey of hair,’ said Bellona, ‘if you insist on conducting yourself with utmost decorum on all occasions.’

‘This is serious, Bella.’

‘Eternity is too long to be good all of the time.’

‘Those are the rules. If you want your temple and your statue back, you must agree to them… as well as you are able to commit to anything.’

‘Can I inflict the mortals with diseases?’

‘No,’ said Minerva, firmly.

‘Can I feed the really wicked ones to the beasts?’

‘A few of them, maybe.’

‘Can I scavenge their corpses for treasure?’

‘Do as you will. They cannot take it with them.’

‘Then I shall agree. I will deal with Mars, and you will deal with Jupiter. Maybe then you will finally see us as equals, sister.’

16. ONE OF US

Claudia wasted no time in ordering Damocles to remove her handmaid Aurelia from her duties, instructing him to take her down to the cells to spend the night with Hieronymus and the charioteer.

‘Are you going to tell me why?’ asked Damocles.

‘She was the one who concealed the knife in the prince’s room. Her brother is being detained by General Aquinas. She will confess, if confronted. If they testify, they shall be allowed to leave the city alive. I suspect they will accept the offer.’

‘General Aquinas?’

‘And Senators Tacitus and Thelonius. They are conspiring with Marcellus to have me overthrown.’

‘How do you know this?’

‘Do not ask questions, Damocles. Just have the three men brought to the palace tomorrow morning for questioning… and increase security. Not a door or window should go unguarded.’

‘Very well, Empress.’

By the time she reached her rooms, only Nadira sat outside, with an empty spot on the bench beside her.

‘Is my guard waiting inside? Gia?’ Claudia asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

‘No, Empress,’ said Nadira. ‘I have been here all night. I have not seen her.’

‘Oh. No matter then. Thank you.’

‘Goodnight, Empress,’ she said.

‘Goodnight,’ Claudia replied, curtly.

Claudia’s gaze lingered on the space where Aurelia used to sit. She wouldn’t make the mistake of trusting her staff too easily again.