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‘If you wish to view someone, you need only touch the shield and say, “show me” followed by their name. It will do the rest.’

A million possibilities flooded Claudia’s mind.

‘Let us keep this between us, for now. None of the emperors before you were blessed with such a tool. Those who learn of it will desire to take it from you. I am breaking all of the rules to empower you, to protect you, to give you the advantage, but these are extraordinary times, Claudia. Extraordinary times indeed! We must be prepared.’

Minerva almost seemed excited to go to war, Claudia thought.

‘If Jupiter is willing to defy the laws of the pantheon to work directly on Earth, then so shall we. We will do everything in our power to shield the women of the world, even if that means saying good riddance to the rules. Rules are made to be broken, as you humans like to say.’

Claudia touched the shield again, wishing she could converse with the goddess directly. She had so many questions.

‘For now, I must leave you. Good luck, Empress, and take care. I’ll be speaking to you again soon. Goodbye.’

‘Goodbye,’ Claudia said, unheard.

Minerva’s image returned to its stationary side profile. The shield reverted to normal, disguising itself as an ordinary object. To anyone else who saw it, it would merely be decorative. Gargantuan and gauche, suitable for an empress, but not suspicious.

Left alone with her thoughts again, Claudia hugged herself, excited and afraid, eager to test the god’s-eye shield for herself. Who did she most wish to look in on?

Her heart leaped to Gia, but her head held her back. She knew good relationships were based on honesty and trust, though she’d had little opportunity to experience it.

Gia conducted herself as a person with no secrets and nothing to hide, but Claudia didn’t enjoy that same freedom. There were things she wouldn’t, couldn’t, share with Gia – things that were humiliating, dark, vulnerable, twisted. Things she needed to conceal, if ever she was to be loved. She couldn’t ask to know all of her, to see all of her, if she wasn’t willing to offer the same herself.

‘Show me Marcellus,’ she said instead.

The shield formed its hazy, pearly portal again, clearing to reveal her cousin, whistling as he ambled along the colonnade. He clipped his toenails. He styled his hair. He counted some coins while singing a little song. He did some stretches. He ate a pear.

Claudia yawned, sitting down in front of the shield, and waited for him to do something interesting. Marcellus responded by taking a nap. He was, at first appearance, the most boring man in Rome.

A noise sounded outside her room. Footsteps, voices.

Claudia took her hand off the shield and the picture instantly dissipated. The door swung open. Claudia stood up and turned to see Gia standing in the arch, gazing at Claudia and her gigantic goddess gift.

She gave a low whistle.

‘Now that is a shield,’ Gia said. ‘You could hide a whole legion behind that thing. I hope I’m not expected to carry it.’

Claudia gestured for her to close the door behind her. Gia did so, then joined her, standing in front of it.

‘It’s not a shield, but a magic mirror,’ said Claudia.

Gia squinted it at, confused, for it didn’t reflect them.

‘I don’t get it,’ she said.

‘It’s a present from Minerva,’ Claudia elaborated.

‘The Minerva? She was here?’

‘Briefly, distantly, in avatar form, but she is well. She is still behind us, and she gave me this to help keep us safe. Tell me, who would you most like to look upon in this world?’

‘She is standing right in front of me,’ said Gia.

Claudia smiled.

‘Besides me.’

‘What if they’re doing something private, like shaving their arse or knocking one out? I don’t want to witness such things.’