The hoplites on deck readied themselves to board or be boarded once again. Themistocles patted his short sword in its scabbard, reassuring himself it was still there. When he held out his hand, a long dory spear was put into it. It was a good weight. He may have been first man in Athens, but Athens was aflame. To save his people, he had made himself navarch of the fleet, over the formal appointment of the Spartan Eurybiades. That too was a good weight. As they closed, Themistocles roared a challenge with the rest, seeing panic in the Persian crew as they tried to escape their fate.

In the moments before the ships crashed together, he could not resist glancing to where he had seen enemy forces gathering in the port. A huge tent was being raised on the beach there, a great white bird pinned in place by bustling soldiers. It looked close enough to reach out and touch. Themistocles felt his stomach tighten. There was surely only one who could demand such a thing in the midst of a battle.

Breath caught in his throat, drawn in and held. The world rocked up and down with the movement of the ship, but on the shore Xerxes was suddenly there, a distant figure who did not labour with the others. The king of Persia stood in a long coat, one hand shading his eyes.

Lost in his own staring, Themistocles almost went over the side when the ram struck, sending a great groan through the whole vessel. That was why they mounted the bronze ship-killers on a keel beam that ran the entire length. It was the only part of the ship strong enough to take the blow.

The Persian captain leaped across, followed by half a dozen men. Themistocles saw desperation in the man’s eyes as he was blocked with shields, then stabbed over and over, blades clashing inside his chest. Their bodies were kicked back into the sea, leaving another great slick of red and black for salt water to scrub down to pink threads in the wood.

The cry went up to back oars, tearing the two vessels apart. If they’d had more time, his crew would have loved to search the enemy ship. Persians seemed to wear a great deal of gold and Themistocles had chosen to ignore the jingling trinkets already appearing on his own hoplites. As far as he was concerned, those men could have the whole world if they wanted.