Marcus mounted the stairs, trepidation rising, and struck open the door of his tablinum.

“No questions,” Thea said wearily. “Just untie us.”

He set to work on the knots binding her wrists. “What happened?”

“Lepida.” Thea stood up, rubbing her chafed hands. “She’s on the way to the Domus Augustana now. To tell the Emperor.”

Marcus swore. “How did she—”

“Does it matter?” Arius shrugged against his pillar. “She knows. Tied us up here and took off for the palace.”

“We were going to put the plan forward anyway. Tonight—”

“Not tonight. Now.”

Marcus looked at the sun outside the window, just starting to slant over the Tiber. “He won’t believe he’s safe for another two hours. Until then he’ll be on his guard—”

“Too bad.” Thea worked at the knots on Arius’s ankles. “Can you hold a sword?”

He nodded impatiently. But when he rose his foot gave way and he staggered.

“What happened?” Every curse Marcus had ever heard poured through his head in six separate languages.

“Your wife’s thugs. But”—taking a series of hopping steps across the room—“if the bones aren’t poking out of the skin, they’ll hold.”

Marcus stared at him. “You’re mad.”

Arius bent into a series of stretches.

“Even if you can hold yourself together, we can’t get you into the Emperor’s suite. Even Paulinus can’t persuade Domitian to receive visitors, not until the hour of his supposed death is past.”

Thea unraveled her hair from its plait, letting it fall over her shoulders. “There’s someone he’ll receive.”

Marcus looked at her. Arius looked at her. “No,” said Arius.

“Can you distract him long enough?” said Marcus.

“She’s not distracting anyone. She’s not going.”

“I am going.” She headed for the door. Arius reached her in two strides—strides without even a trace of a limp, Marcus noticed—and seized her arm. He grabbed her elbows, lifting her off her feet when she tried to jerk away.

“You can’t go. He’ll kill you.”

“He’ll kill you, too.”

“The danger’s less. He doesn’t know me, hasn’t even seen me for years. You he’ll take apart.”

“He’s tried to take me apart many times before. I can get through it once more when my son’s life is at stake.” Her voice hardened.

“I’m not just going to sit in the stands and pray this time. I want my share.”

Arius swung on Marcus. “You know what he is. What he’ll do.”

Marcus shrugged. “Her choice.”

“Exactly.” Thea’s eyes slitted.

“Thea.” Arius gripped her shoulders. “You’ll be killed. I can’t stand—”

“Oh, you can stand it.” Her voice was brutal. “I’ve stood it often, watching you in the arena. Let me go.”

They stood swaying, breast to breast, eye to eye.

Arius’s fingers uncurled, one at a time. His eyes burned black.

“Damn you,” he whispered. “God damn you.”

She turned her back on him, sweeping through the door. Arius stared after her for a moment, then turned to look at Marcus. There was something blank and savage and impersonal in his gaze now that made Marcus want to retreat.