‘Yes,’ Agrippina admitted.

‘And what does it mean?’

‘I think we cannot fight you today,’ she said quietly.

‘What? What? Speak up, girl!’

She took a deep breath, aware of the harm she was about to do to Nectovelin, whether he lived or died. ‘We can’t win today. The Prophecy says so.’

Nectovelin rumbled like a bull. Vespasian’s grip on his arm tightened. All around the room the soldiers tensed, and Narcissus shivered in Agrippina’s grasp.

Claudius whispered, ‘Well, in that case, what happens next all depends on you, Agrippina. If you will let me, I will spare you. Not through mercy - because you intrigue me, you and your lover.’

‘And if I allow you to let me live, will you spare Nectovelin?’ The bargaining sounded strange to Agrippina’s own ears.

Nectovelin turned to face Agrippina. ‘You’ve betrayed me once today already, child. Don’t do it again.’

Vespasian, too, was outraged. ‘Sir, you can’t listen to this!’

Claudius was composed. ‘How amusing that both captor and captive should reject a peaceful solution!’

Somehow Agrippina was in control of the situation. ‘Let Nectovelin go,’ she said. And in her own tongue she said to Nectovelin: ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Disarm him and throw him out, legate.’

‘Sir—’

‘He’s broken already. He’s no threat to us. And now we’ll have to decide what to do with you two children - if you will first stop giving my secretary that unwelcome shave.’

With Nectovelin ejected, Agrippina released Narcissus. He stumbled away from her with a look of murderous hatred, massaging his throat and fingering his cut cheek.

Cunedda, freed, approached Agrippina. ‘How could you do that to Nectovelin?’

‘I saved his life.’

‘But he lost his honour. And the Prophecy—’

‘He never understood the Prophecy. Claudius was right. There are times when being able to read is a great advantage. Cunedda, the Prophecy talks of three emperors. Claudius is only the first. So we can’t defeat him - not if the Prophecy contains any truth. For the Romans will be here for a long, long time.’

He rubbed his upper arm, bruised from a soldier’s grasp. ‘And Mandubracius?’

She flinched. ‘I haven’t forgotten. I will avenge my brother. I’ll just have to find another way. There’s one thing I’ve learned today above all else, Cunedda. This is a long game we’re playing.’

Rufrius Pollio, commander of the Praetorian Guard, approached them. His sword was sheathed, but his look was venomous - but then he was in significant trouble for allowing assassins to come so close to the Emperor. ‘Time to go,’ he said in Latin.

Agrippina blurted, ‘Emperor—’

Claudius turned.

‘I must believe the Prophecy is truthful, for its predictions have come to pass. But there is a detail I don’t understand.’

Claudius frowned. ‘What detail?’

‘That you would come to Britain accompanied by exotic beasts - horses big as houses, teeth like scimitars ...’