‘And as the price for this bargain you will take me from this place and these people?’

‘When the time is right, you will leave here.’

Marcus frowned slightly.

‘There is a lady…’

Scaurus nodded.

‘I know. First Spear Frontinius enlightened me on that subject. And when the time is right she can accompany you to wherever you travel, if she will. Mithras wants your service, for you to live the life of a warrior, not for you to cut yourself off from the world. There is room in your life for both your god and your woman.’

Marcus nodded slowly, his face creased in thought.

‘It is a generous offer, Prefect Scaurus, although I still wonder exactly how you can protect me from the empire’s hunters.’

Scaurus smiled tightly.

‘So do I, given your apparent talent for drawing attention to yourself. In time you will come to better understand both the forces hunting you and those arraigned behind me, but for the time being it will be enough for you simply to trust me. So, your decision?’

Marcus thought for a long moment, staring into the room’s shadows.

‘I will do as you bid, Prefect. I will follow you as you command, and I will serve your god to the best of my ability.’

Scaurus nodded decisively.

‘Good. Perhaps in this way we’ll be able to keep you from the throne’s hunting dogs, and avoid the danger of your friends and comrades being taken down alongside you. Quite how we are to keep you out of public scrutiny in the meantime is a different question altogether.’

2

The first arrow missed its target by less than a foot, hissing unheard past the heads of the rearmost rank’s soldiers.