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Henbane. It was the same poison she’d used to kill her father.

Claudia heaved herself into a sitting position as Gia knelt down before her, pulling her into her arms. Tears streamed from her eyes as she felt the reassuring weight of Gia’s embrace.

She was home.

Home was not a place any more – not a building with walls or a country with borders – but a person.

Gia held her so tight her armour dug into Claudia’s flesh, but it was a sweet, welcome sort of pain, like love. It reminded her that she was alive, and how close she’d come to not being so.

But when Gia kissed her, Claudia suddenly pulled back.

Gia looked to the gathered crowd, as if their presence was the reason for her hesitation.

‘I… have been poisoned,’ said Claudia, touching her lips with one hand. ‘I would not want you to be poisoned too.’

‘You’re fine,’ said the physician. ‘It doesn’t work like that.’

‘Then we are good,’ said Claudia, pulling Gia in to her lips.

‘It’s okay,’ Gia said, between kisses. ‘You’re okay.’

‘I thought I’d never see you or hold you again,’ said Claudia, reluctant to let go of her.

‘Here, drink this.’

The palace physician hovered over her, holding out a cup. She took it into her hands, letting the cold water pour down her throat.

‘What’s happening?’ she asked. ‘I assume all is not well.’

‘You could say that. General Aquinas has taken over the palace,’ said Gia. ‘He has control of the army. He’s converting the Senate as we speak. Cassius pretended to be one of them, then knocked a general out cold to distract him so we could escape. We had to disguise ourselves as soldiers, to come and rescue you. They got suspicious when we wouldn’t remove our helmets. Hence, the hair.’

She ran one hand over her head, self-consciously.

‘It looks good,’ said Claudia, reaching out to stroke it, though it was hardly the time. ‘It is like Diana’s.’

‘Focus, Empress,’ Gia said, clicking her fingers, though she was smiling lopsidedly.

‘Yes, yes, sorry.’

‘They put you in your room and left you to die. They destroyed Minerva’s shield and the evidence of the assassin plot against you. We managed to get you out and bring you here to the valetudinaria, so the physician could treat you.’

Claudia struggled to take it all in, to envision it unfolding in her mind. Her head was still slow and heavy.

‘We managed to free some of the prisoners from the cells before they locked the palace down,’ said Gia, ‘but we don’t have much time. We have to get out of here.’

‘Damocles?’ she asked, hopefully, but the question was met with shaking heads and glum glances.

‘Damocles is dead,’ said Dom. ‘Hieronymus is dead.’

‘Rectina,’ Claudia croaked. ‘Darius, he—’

‘Darius fled with his soldiers,’ said Celadus. ‘Rectina is with Pliny and Athena.’

‘Darius fled?’

‘His party was seen retreating, back towards the border. The Persian cavalcade is gone.’

‘After everything he said about protecting his country?’ said Claudia. ‘I didn’t believe he would be so cowardly.’