‘I’m sorry, Tisamenos,’ he said. He looked dejected, head bowed, shading his eyes from the sun. ‘There is news from Mykenai … it has fallen to Argos.’

Tisamenos had guessed this, but hearing it confirmed was a blow. He would not be welcome in his home city now. He was an exile once more. ‘And my father?’

Silvius shook his head. ‘There is no sign of him.’

Then he was dead. If he was alive, there would be someone who had heard of him, drawing up an army with him at the head to retake his city. Orestes would not go down without a fight.

The loss of his father hit him deeply, and he turned away from the others, letting his body heave with sobs. He allowed Elissa to comfort him, finding warmth in her soft touch.

There was only one thing left, now, for him. Python, and his destruction. The thought filled him with a cold kind of resolution, and he stopped his tears.

‘What more news? What of Python?’

‘In Italia, they say, a great army of the Enemy has taken the northern cities. Lavinium still stands, but the army encroaches. We must hurry back.’

‘We can’t rely on the ships of Orestes now. And I cannot go to Argos and ask them for help,’ said Tisamenos. ‘They’ll kill me as soon as look at me.’ He hoped that Penthilos was safe.

And so, dejected, they went back to the port. But none of the ships’ captains was heading to Italia, and between them they had not enough goods to buy passage or commandeer a ship; not even Silvius’s amulet could persuade.

The day was reaching the midpoint, and they filled their bellies with bread and olives from the tavern using one of the silver coins.

Tisamenos was turning everything over in his mind, trying to see a way out for them. Looking at Silvius reminded him of Troy, and then he thought of Achilleos, the great warrior, and then his mother Hermione, and the necklace she’d been wearing from the Thessalian king.

Thessaly. It hit him like a bolt of lightning from the Skyfather. ‘We have a guest friendship with the Phthians, north of here in Thessaly. Neoptolemos, the son of Achilleos, still rules there, I believe. We are not so far from there by sea. If we go there, he is bound to help us reach Italia.’

‘But it’s in the wrong direction! And how long will it take? What if Lavinium is attacked and destroyed? What do we do then?’ Silvius’s voice was cracking a little. Tisamenos knew what he was fearing: the loss of his father.

‘Your father is a good leader, isn’t he?’ said Tisamenos. ‘He is prepared for this danger. We can only hope.’

‘I know Aeneas,’ said Elissa, firmly. ‘He’s survived so much already. He’ll do everything he can to defend the city and your family.’