‘No, sir. Nothing. Been as quiet as the grave.’

Cato stared into the mist shrouding the palms that grew alongside the path a short distance off. The long curved fronds of the trees made them look like stooped giants reaching out with their arms. His ears presently heard the sound of boots swishing through the grass beside the path and Macro strode out of the gloom.

‘Morning, sir. Rested?’

‘Yes, thank you. Anything to report?’

Macro shook his head. ‘Nothing. Not a peep out of the renegades. Either they’re inhumanly quiet, or they decided to put some distance between us before stopping for the night. I left the optios with orders to rouse the men at first light. Not long now.’

‘Very good.’

‘Oh, the only other thing is, Hamedes has taken a jar filled with ashes down to the dyke. Seems he had to place the ashes in an irrigation ditch, so they could eventually join the Nile. He said he had your permission.’

‘That’s right, as long as he doesn’t go too far, with Ajax’s men about.’

‘He said he’d be careful, sir.’

‘It’s his funeral,’ Cato replied and then shook his head. ‘Not quite what I meant to say.’

Macro laughed briefly before he responded. ‘You don’t need to worry about him. He was game for a fight yesterday morning and he kept up with us across that swamp. Pretty good going for a priest. Not like those idle tossers back in Rome, or on the army staffs. He’s all right, is Hamedes. I’ll make a soldier of him yet.’

‘I’m not quite sure that’s what he has in mind.’

‘You’re wrong, sir. After what Ajax did at his temple that lad isn’t going to rest easy until he’s had his revenge.’

‘Revenge?’ Cato sighed. ‘Seems to be the only thing that motivates us all. Hamedes, Ajax, you and me.’

Macro’s eyes narrowed. ‘If you’re thinking that somehow we’re all the same when it comes down to it, then you’re wrong. Dead wrong. We executed Ajax’s father because he was a bloody pirate. Ajax was condemned to slavery for the same reason. I’m telling you, that bastard deserves everything that’s coming to him. The only question is which of us gets the chance to kill him. You, me, or even Hamedes.’

There was a cough and they both turned to see the priest standing a short distance away watching them. Cato was not sure how much Hamedes had heard and cleared his throat awkwardly.

‘You’ve completed your rites, then?’

‘Yes, I did what I could under the circumstances. I pray that the gods permit them entry to the afterlife.’