Junius and Hamedes watched for a moment longer, then the tribune gestured towards an outcrop a hundred paces further into the valley. ‘Come on.’

The two crossed the ridge as stealthily as possible, all the time watching the lookouts below for any sign that they had been detected. However, the Arabs’ attention was firmly fixed on the track and they never once looked up the cliff above them. The two climbed along the rock cautiously, testing every handhold and step as they went. It was exhausting work and by the time they had reached the outcrop they were forced to stop and recover their strength. They took some water from their canteens, and then crept forward on to a flat slab sticking out at a right angle from the cliff. The drop on the far side was sheer and Hamedes felt a twinge of dizziness as he looked straight down into the valley. The two enemy soldiers had reached the horses and sat close by in the shade, foreshortened into heads and limbs from the point of view of those spying on them. There was no sign of anyone else and no clue as to where the rest of the men were concealed.

Junius scratched his jaw anxiously. ‘We have to get closer. Somewhere we can see the entrances of the tombs more easily.’

His companion gazed down the cliff and then pointed towards another outcrop where the valley divided, a spur heading off into the rocks to the north. ‘There, sir. That should do.’

Junius followed the direction indicated, thought a moment and then nodded. ‘Right.’

They were making their way down the cliff when another figure emerged below them, striding towards the horses. Junius opened his mouth to say something then paused and turned to Hamedes.

‘Recognise him?’

Hamedes squinted a moment to be sure and then nodded. ‘Ajax.’

The gladiator stopped when he had a clear view of the horses and the lookouts in the rocks beyond. He cupped his hands to his mouth and called out, ‘Any sign of movement?’

One of the Arabs turned and called back in accented Greek, ‘Nothing, sir.’

Ajax was still for a moment, thinking, then he called again. ‘They’re coming. Sooner rather than later. Be sure to sound the alarm and then make every arrow count.’