Decimus had heard every word and now shuffled forward on his knees. ‘I made a deal with Mandracus. He promised to set me free if I paid a ransom. A million sestertii. It could be yours. All yours.’

Brixus regarded him with loathing and disgust before shaking his head. ‘Any deal you made with my subordinate is not binding with me, Roman. I know about you from Marcus. It is for him to decide your fate.’

Marcus looked up in surprise. ‘Me?’

‘Yours is the grievance. You decide.’

‘The boy?’ Decimus shook his head in disbelief. ‘You can’t let a boy decide whether I die or not.’

‘I can decide what I like. Well, Marcus?’

Marcus frowned. There was still something he could get out of this if he played his part well. He curled his lips into a sneer. ‘I would like to see him die, by my own hand. His death is long overdue.’

‘No!’ Decimus protested. ‘Marcus, wait. I’ll give you the million sestertii. Enough to set you up for life. You could buy your farm back. Or buy a bigger one. Have slaves of your own.’

Marcus stabbed his finger into Decimus’s chest and shouted. ‘If you want to live, tell me exactly where my mother is! Which estate did you send her to? Where in the Peloponnese? Speak now! Or I swear I will cut your heart out!’

Decimus flinched in terror at the boy’s violent expression and opened his mouth to reply. Then his eyes narrowed and he shook his head.

‘I will tell you nothing. If you want to see her again, then you must set me free. That is the only deal I will make with you. My life for hers.’

Brixus stepped over the moneylender and grasped him by the collar of his tunic. ‘Say the word, Marcus, and I’ll have Mandracus beat the truth out of him.’

‘He can try.’ Decimus smiled thinly. ‘But how will you know I am telling the truth? You need me alive, Marcus. I will tell you where she is, once I am away from this place, and safe. Only then.’

‘And he’s supposed to trust you?’

‘I give him my word.’

‘Hah? Your word?’ Brixus spat. ‘I’d sooner trust a snake. Marcus, kill him. You can find your mother on your own.’

Marcus glared at the moneylender, his heart welling up with despair and frustration. Decimus had the advantage and there was little he could do about it — unless there was some way to hold Decimus to his side of the bargain. He turned to Brixus. ‘There is another man among the prisoners who I would have you keep safe. A tall, thin man. Bald and with a beard. His name is Thermon.’

He turned back to Decimus. ‘If you fail to keep your word, I will give Thermon to Caesar. He would have some interesting stories to tell about your business interests, as you call them.’