Page 55

The vision dissipated as Gia bolted up, reaching for her sword at the side of the bed.

‘What? What’s happening?’ she said in panic.

‘It’s okay. Just a… bad… dream,’ she managed to gasp.

Gia pulled her into her arms, holding her as she shook and panted, gently laying them back down again.

‘What happened?’

But Claudia couldn’t speak of it. She shook her head and Gia didn’t ask again, stroking her hair until her breathing evened out and she stopped trembling.

Claudia pretended to be asleep, so Gia would not stay awake worrying and watching over her.

Little bitch. These were her father’s real last words. She hadn’t shared them with anyone, not even Gia.

In the final moments of his life, he had looked her in the eye and he’d known what she had done.

He’d be waiting for her, when she followed him into the dark. He would have his vengeance, one day. Her brother, too.

She’d already come far too close to joining them.

8. THE SHIELD OF MINERVA

The following afternoon, Claudia returned to her chambers alone to find that an impractically large silver shield had been propped against her canopied bed, almost as tall as she was.

She stood at the open arch of her quarters, flanked by the two guards and two handmaidens who stood out in the hallway.

‘Good day, Empress,’ they said, in unison.

‘What is that?’ she asked, pointing at the shield.

Her staff peered in.

‘A large gift for you, my empress?’ said Aurelia.

‘But who brought it? Did you see anyone enter?’

‘No.’ Aurelia frowned, thoughtfully. ‘Actually, I didn’t.’

‘Did anyone come to my door?’

‘Not as long as I have been here,’ said one of the guards.

‘Nor I,’ said the other.

When Claudia looked to her, the other girl, Nadira, shook her head vehemently.

‘Should I call for backup?’ said the guard.

How was it possible for such an enormous object to have been deposited in her private rooms, entirely unseen by palace guards? Something inside told her not to involve them.

‘No, thank you. I shall call you, if I need you.’

‘Yes, Empress.’

Closing the door, Claudia regarded the shield hesitantly. It might be a trap. Perhaps it was spring-loaded with an arrow, or coated in poison. She couldn’t be too careful.

Or maybe it was a present from Marcellus: an unwanted gift that came with unpleasant expectations.