There it is. The prison.

Jess stood for a long moment, gaze fixed on that metal barrier, and then he turned and retraced his steps past the frozen lion, up the tunnel, out from under Jupiter’s robes, and back to the Serapeum.

EPHEMERA

Text of a letter from the Archivist Magnus to the Artifex Magnus, interdicted to the Black Archives by order of the Archivist

It was a true tragedy to lose Scholar Prakesh in such a useless fashion; she was an extraordinarily bright woman. Just more proof that Wolfe’s toxic influence has spread on to his students as well. Without her exposure to Santiago, no doubt she would have served the Library faithfully for the rest of her life.

We are reaching an impasse with the Obscurist Magnus as well. It might be necessary to bring her to heel one last time, by whatever means necessary. Her son might be broken, but he can still turn and bite. If you see any reason to suspect such might happen, make it clear to him that we have gathered up all those he cares for.

That should keep him in check, and, through him, his mother.

If not . . . well. You know my thoughts.

CHAPTER TEN

He arrived back just as his fellow soldiers were starting to wake, and except for the fact that he was already wearing his uniform, no one gave him a second look. He sat on his bunk and ate a pressed fruit from his pack, and wondered how to tell the others what he’d found. Too many ears. They needed privacy.

Glain could see he had news. She was clever enough not to ask, but he saw the level stare and the tilt of her head. What is she seeing? He had no idea. He was usually better at hiding in plain sight than that. Maybe it was the flush of triumph he couldn’t quite shake. He just hoped that turning off the sentry lion hadn’t triggered some alarms that would make exiting that way harder.

“You look happy,” she said to him, and took half his ration bar.

“Help yourself,” he said mildly. “It’s going to be a long day.”

She gave him a narrow look, which he answered with a grin, and then it was too late to play question games, as their squad leader called them to order. Jess fell into line beside Glain. Squad Leader Rollison walked down the line and fixed them each with a direct yet impersonal stare.

“Good work yesterday,” he said. “So said the Artifex himself. We don’t get to earn that praise again today, because today, the Artifex leaves the basilica and visits the Roman Senate, and we’re staying here. The rest of our century arrived overnight and will be guarding the route and the Senate. Our job today is to keep the basilica safe, and, to that end, we’ll be conducting roving patrols. Those of you who don’t like sunshine, Burners, or those damned Roman lions, here’s some happy news for you: we’ll be staying inside. Those who were hoping for more glory today—and I mean you, Brightwell—you’ll have to live with disappointment.”