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It all seemed so stupid and pointless now – all that fear that had come between them. She’d come so close to losing her. But here was the proof that she was in grave danger beside her. Claudia had tried to push Gia away, yet she was still bleeding. Sleeping apart had made no difference. It had not been enough distance to protect her.

‘You’re okay,’ said Gia. ‘I thought they hit you.’

‘No, all thanks to you. You took an arrow for me. I would be absolutely furious with you, if I wasn’t so worried.’

Gia inspected the wound on her arm, wincing in pain.

‘Ouch, fuck, that hurts,’ she hissed.

‘You hit your head, too,’ said Claudia, gently inspecting the bloodied part of her hair. ‘I’ll take you to the palace physician.’

‘Is anyone else hurt?’ she asked.

Claudia thought of the guard, bleeding from the neck.

‘Don’t worry about them right now,’ said Cassius.

Gia’s eyes flashed wide, remembering.

‘Dom… Athena… Dido and Livia…’

‘They’re okay. They’re all okay. I’ve got you.’

Claudia squeezed her hand.

‘What did I tell you, sister?’ said Cassius, with tears in his eyes. ‘I knew you’d get hurt eventually.’

‘It’s okay, Cass.’

‘You cannot do it to me. You can’t leave me here alone.’

‘Brother,’ Gia said weakly.

Claudia and Cassius met eyes again. For a moment, whatever animosity existed between them melted away, united by their shared concern for Gia’s wellbeing.

And then Gia saw the prince sitting beside them.

‘You,’ she said, sitting upright, face twisting in horror. ‘You did this, didn’t you?’

‘Is she delirious?’ asked the prince.

‘Please forgive her, your majesty. She did hit her head,’ said Cassius, making eyes at Gia. ‘What day is it, sister? What is your name?’

‘I know exactly what I’m saying,’ said Gia.

‘I can assure you, I am not involved,’ said the prince. ‘How can you even think it? My own advisor is dead.’

‘Prince Darius saved us all,’ said Claudia, jumping in to avoid a diplomatic affray, on top of everything. She had seen the fear in his eyes as he defended her, the sorrow in his face as he grieved his advisor. The prince was innocent, she was sure of it. ‘He defended us during the attack.’

‘That was convenient,’ said Gia.

‘He is not the enemy we are looking for,’ she said.

Claudia tried to give her a ‘please stop talking’ look but Gia didn’t pick up on it.

‘What about the knife?’ she said.

‘What knife?’ said Darius.