‘No. But it will take time for you to mass another army. By then Rome will have sent more troops to the province and bolstered the defences of the towns and forts along the Nile. You will have even less chance of success than you did this time.’ Cato looked at him steadily. ‘I don’t think Rome will have much to worry about from the Nubian quarter for a while. You’re a spent force. Ajax, on the other hand, is not. That is the reason why I am prepared to trade your life for his.’

A frown flitted across the Prince’s face. ‘Really? I think you underestimate me, Roman. We shall see about that, perhaps sooner than you think.’ Prince Talmis turned to the captain of his bodyguards and there was a quick exchange before the captain dismounted and climbed down the bank to the edge of the water. He raised a small horn to his lips and blew four times. Two figures scurried down from the shrine, boarded the skiff and set off across the current.

Cato gestured to the commander of the cavalry escort to join him and then spoke quietly to the decurion. ‘I don’t trust the Prince. I want your two best men to come with me. Once we reach the island and have the prisoners, I’ll give the signal for you to release the Prince and his men.’

‘Yes, sir. And what’ll the signal be?’

Cato thought briefly. ‘I’ll raise my sword and wave it from side to side. You’ll see that well enough from here.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Cato glanced at the Prince and his men. ‘If they make any attempt to escape before the signal is given, kill the men. Take the Prince alive, if you can.’

Macro moved closer to Cato and muttered, ‘What’s to stop us killing him anyway? Once we have Ajax?’

Cato shook his head. ‘Talmis poses little danger to Rome. I think that this defeat will weaken him. He’ll be busy keeping his followers in line as it is. If we kill him, we give the Nubians a grievance that will need to be avenged.’

Macro shrugged. ‘If you say so. Frankly, one more dead Nubian suits me fine.’

Cato nodded to the decurion. ‘You have your orders.’

The decurion turned in his saddle to call back down the line. ‘Castor! Decius! Dismount and escort the legate!’

The two tough-looking men swung down from their saddles and handed the reins to their comrades before unhooking their shields and trotting forward to the two officers. Cato dismounted and gestured to them to follow him. ‘You too, Macro. And you, Junius.’

He led the way down to join the Nubian captain as they waited for the skiff. The men in the small boat worked the oars hard as they fought the current. As they waited, Cato stepped aside from the others. ‘Macro, over here.’