‘What the fuck are you doing? Get moving.’

‘Can’t, sir.’ It was one of the men who was helping Petronius. ‘Glabarus was hit by a stone. Knocked him cold.’

Cato felt an instant of panic as he stared down at the three men, one lying still on the ground, Petronius slumped to one knee and the third man still holding him under the shoulder and trying to keep him up. Glancing back Cato saw that the Judaeans were moving along the limit of the defences behind them. Any moment they would reach the opening of the passage and it was possible that one of them would be observant enough to work out the significance of the aligned lamps. A moment later his fears were confirmed as the nearest of the men edged cautiously in amongst the narrow path between the traps. Cato swallowed nervously and realised his mouth felt as dry as the sand stretching out around them. He made the only decision that he could and bent down to Petronius’ free side and raised the man up.

‘Let’s get going.’

‘What about Glabarus, sir?’

‘We have to leave him.’

‘No!’

‘Shut up and move.’

‘But he’s my mate.’

Cato fought down the rage that threatened to erupt and spoke as calmly as he could. ‘We can’t carry both of them. We have to leave him. Or we all die. Now let’s go.’

He started forward and as the other man felt the tug of Petronius’ weight he was forced to move forward, and only had time to spare his friend a brief last glance. Cato kept glancing up at the lights to make sure they stayed on course and did not dare to look back over his shoulder as the enemy came on behind them. They reached the ditch and half scrambled, half slithered down the slope, across the bottom and up the far slope, under the burden of the injured man. Then they were moving along the narrow strip of flat earth at the base of the wall, making for the sally port. Cato could just make out the shapes of the rest of his party ahead of him and willed himself on.The safety of the fort’s walls was mere moments away.

There was a flare overhead and the crackle of burning sticks, and a ball of flame arced down from the wall and bounced into the ditch, lighting up the area around it. Looking back Cato could see the first of the Judaeans to clear the outer defences scrambling down into the ditch, caught in the light of the burning faggot. He heard Macro’s voice bellow out.

‘Archers! Shoot ‘em down!’