‘So be it! Within days the vultures will be picking your bones clean!’ He snatched at his reins, forcing his horse round sharply, then he spurred it back towards his army, his robes flapping like the wings of a crow while his followers struggled to keep up.

Macro watched him briefly and then edged his mount closer to Cato. ‘That was pretty blunt. What are you thinking?’

Cato spoke with a resigned air. ‘What else could I say? I have no authority to accept his terms. Even if I did, the Emperor could never afford to. So we will have our battle.’

‘When?’

‘Tomorrow. At dawn.’

Prince Talmis and his senior officers had completed their plans for the disposition of the Nubian army and were feasting on heavily spiced mutton when their meal was interrupted. The captain of the Prince’s bodyguard, a large scarred warrior, eased aside the tent flap and entered. Four of his men followed, either side of a tall figure in a ragged tunic and scale armour vest. His skin and hair were matted with sweat and dust and it took the Prince a moment to recognise him.

‘Ajax . . .’

The other officers stopped eating as they turned to look at the gladiator. Their conversation faltered and an uneasy silence filled the tent. Prince Talmis wiped the grease from his fingers on the hem of his robe and leaned back from the polished silver tray from which he had been dining. He stroked his jaw in contemplation as he stared at Ajax.

‘Is this the man who claimed that he would be a valuable ally in the war against Rome, I wonder?’ he asked with cold sarcasm. ‘From the look of you it would appear that you have seen some hard fighting. Is that so?’

‘Yes, Highness.’ Ajax bowed his head.

‘I take it you had the worst of it.’

‘Yes.’

‘I see. Then tell me, have you achieved what I asked of you?’

Ajax, weary as he was, stood stiffly at full height, dominating the bodyguards who stood around him. ‘My men have killed and wounded many of the Romans, as you wished, Highness. We took one of their forts, slaughtered its garrison and burned it to the ground.’

‘And what of our casualties?’

Ajax hesitated briefly before replying. ‘I regret to say that I and a few of my followers are all that survive. The rest are lost.’

Prince Talmis’s eyes widened, and his officers exchanged anxious glances, waiting for him to give vent to his anger. The Prince’s lips twitched. ‘Lost? Explain.’

‘After the fort was destroyed the Romans sent a force across the Nile to deal with my column, Highness. We held the bank for as long as we could before falling back on a temple that I had ordered the men to fortify. There we made our stand.’

‘Not you apparently.’