‘Hold as long as you can,’ Ferox said. ‘Keep the gate open for our boys. They know you’re here and some will come straight up the cardo to relieve you.’ That is what Sosius claimed had been arranged, assuming his messages had got through.

‘Are you going, sir?’

‘Yes. I have a promise to keep.’ Ferox gestured to Bran. ‘Show us the way, Domitius.’

Sentius watched them vanish down into the city and wondered when the first attack would come.

‘Well done, boys,’ the centurion told his men. ‘Now let’s get ready for when the bastards come at us.’

XXVIII

Nicopolis

The same night

THE FIRST RAMPART fell easily, and even though it had been mauled by the ballistae that was still a surprise, and men poured over it and vanished from sight. The men had dropped the ladders they were carrying because they were not needed, and pressed on. Crispinus was in the observation tower, and could see nothing, but the shouting coming from beyond the breach was confused.

‘No use staying here,’ he said to his staff and led them down. Nearby, Arrian stood waiting at the head of three hundred soldiers picked from the first cohort. Their task was to wait until the breakthrough, then get into the city and head straight for the gate to the citadel and seize it. All of the city must fall tonight, and a half victory would not do.

‘You know what you have to do?’ Crispinus asked before he could stop himself. Of course, Arrian knew what to do.

‘Yes, my lord. Do you trust the letters?’ The question suggested Arrian was as nervous as he was, although he was hiding it well. They had found the first message eventually, deciphered the code because it was one Hadrian was fond of using, but the second one had only been seen a couple of hours ago.

‘No idea!’ Crispinus said, then stopped because cornu horns were blaring out as the supporting cohorts came out of the musculi and started climbing the rampart. He waited, then leaned forward to shout, because the legionaries were cheering as they went. ‘If someone is inside helping us then good. But don’t assume anything. Just get me that gateway.’

Arrian nodded, and whatever he said was lost because the leading soldiers were clambering over the rampart, shouting and horns blaring. Crispinus went forward as another cohort was committed, this time auxiliaries, all eager to show that they were as bold as any citizen soldier. Cerialis had told him that volunteers from his own ala were providing the assault parties for his own attack against the other breach. Trailing the half-dozen legionary cavalrymen and the two centurions acting as his escort, the legatus went along the side of the sheds, rather than trying to force his way through. No missiles were coming down from the wall, so he went without risk, apart from falling off the side of the ramp where the space was narrow.

As he drew level with the shed, a cornicen appeared and blasted out his challenge, before realising that the commander was right beside him. Crispinus grinned to reassure the man, and the auxiliaries were around him, a crowd rather than a formation as they climbed the slope of the breach. The stench of the dead from the first assault was stronger, and when someone trod on a corpse and the stomach burst open, Crispinus thought that he might vomit, but somehow managed to keep control.