Ferox wondered whether the pursuers would try an arrow or two. None came, which suggested that the men wanted to be certain and had patience. It was almost night, stars appearing in the sky above them and the sun no more than a semi-circle of dazzling light.

A wheel sank down into soft earth, lodged against a stone and the axle snapped, bringing the waggon to a skidding halt. Indike screamed as she was flung forward and then gasped as Vindex caught her in his arms. Ferox searched the darkness, a throbbing light lingering from staring at the setting sun, and could just make out the riders dropping back. They were good, by the look of things, willing to wait for their moment.

One of the mules sank onto its haunches with a sigh. The other was struggling to breathe.

‘I think I might keep her,’ Vindex said. Indike was little more than a child in his arms. She stuck her tongue out at him.

‘I wouldn’t,’ Philo told him, ‘for she is very rude.’ He slid awkwardly off his mule, rubbing his rear. Vindex lowered the woman very gently to Bran who helped her down.

‘We’ll camp here,’ Ferox said, as the second mule slumped down and died.

‘Will we?’ Vindex asked. ‘Going to be one of those nights, is it?’

They lit a fire and no arrows came, nor any sign of their pursuers. Ferox had read that the Parthians and their neighbours never fought at night unless they could help it, but so much the Romans and Greeks wrote about others was misunderstood or plain nonsense.

‘One guard,’ Ferox ordered. ‘We’ll take it in turns.’

‘And stay out of the light?’ Vindex asked.

‘It’ll be cold, so make the most of it.’ He could make out Vindex’s expression. ‘We want them to think that we’re stupid.’

‘That shouldn’t be hard,’ Vindex muttered. ‘Why don’t you give us a song?’

‘Do you want them to start shooting?’ Bran asked.

They started breaking up the waggon to get firewood. Without a team and with a broken axle, it would not be going anywhere. Philo cooked for them and Indike helped, and they sat talking for hours, wondering and waiting.

‘Where is Bran?’ Philo asked, suddenly noticing that the young warrior was not around the fire.

‘You should ask where is your patron, husband,’ Indike said. Philo blinked in surprise when he realised that Ferox had also gone.

Vindex smiled. Even he had not seen Ferox slip away, although he reckoned that he had noticed his absence pretty soon after the centurion had gone. Bran had followed a little later, and Vindex was not sure whether or not the centurion had given his approval.

‘Well,’ he said. ‘We had better play our part. My turn to go on watch so the rest of you try to get some sleep. Keep your heads down if anything happens.’ He picked up a spear and wandered a few paces away from the fire where he would still be visible, but only just. The two Brigantes rolled themselves in their cloaks and one was snoring away within a few moments. Philo and Indike whispered to each other, but if they could not find sleep at least they had each other to cuddle under the blanket, and Vindex reckoned that they ought to count themselves happy.