Fortunately, I managed to find another tavern that would sell me a jug of wine at a reasonable price. I sat down on the steps leading up to the Senate. We didn't want to loiter in front of the Domus Publica. Then someone might suspect that something was up.

Stretching my legs out, I looked up at Curio, whose attention was focused on the large home Clodius had entered into in the distance. Yawning, I picked up a small stone that the edges of my fingers bumped into and threw it at Curio.

"Ow!" he cried, rubbing the offended arm. "What was that?"

"This turned out to be far less exciting than I had expected. I might go see if I can find something to do elsewhere."

I rose to my feet, the jug of wine dangling in one hand. I must have had more to drink than I expected because as soon as I was up on my feet, I tipped precariously to one side. After stumbling a few steps, I was unable to recover, and the jug of wine fell from my grasp. I heard the jug shatter as I landed on my side, letting out a grunt.

The shoulder of my tunic ripped open, and I shouted out a string of curses when I realized the wine was lost. Sitting up, I found Curio laughing at me. My lips parted to yell at him, but the moment was stolen from me when a shrieking voice echoed out from the other end of the Forum.

I leapt to me feet, drawing up beside Curio. My eyes strained to see through the darkness. The voice had come from the Domus Publica. Other than the shimmering lights from the tapers, the Forum was dark and quiet.

"Cac," I whispered, fearing anything louder would have all of us caught.

Other female voices took up the cry. Shouts rang out, followed by a clatter. I exchanged a glance with Curio and then broke into a sprint towards the Domus Publica. I heard footsteps behind me and knew that Curio was following.

As we were running, another shadowy figure started towards us at a sprint. The women came through the front door, yelling and throwing things. I skidded to a stop, and Curio slammed into my back.

"Run!" the shadowy figure shouted.

I knew it was Clodius but didn't dare say his name. He ran passed us. His wig had disappeared, and even in the darkness I could see that his dress had been ripped. I did not need to ask if he had been caught.

Turning around, I shoved Curio out in front of me and took off in the opposite direction. Clodius was out in front of us, but I decided it was best to stay with him and turned down the alley he had chosen.

Unexpectedly, a cart came out of an adjoining alley. There was no time to avoid it. I fell over it. Whatever had been inside of it spilled across the road along with me. Scrambling, I got back to my feet, starting to run again before I was able to discern what the angry merchant was yelling at me. My knee was throbbing, but the fear of some unseen menace chasing us kept me going.

Taking the back roads and keeping away from any light, we wound through the city and back to Clodius' home. Sweating and gasping down air, all of us collapsed on our own sofa once we were back inside. Servants brought water to us, and I guzzled it down. My knee had been split upon connection with the cart, but it was nothing more than a nuisance.

"What happened?" I asked when I could.

Clodius lay on his couch, one leg dangling off the side. His arm lay across his eyes, the other resting on his chest. Removing the hand from his eyes, he glanced over at me.

"What do you think happened, you stupid lout?"

My brows furrowed. "Obviously, you got caught. What I wanted to know was how," I snapped.

"Oh," he replied. "I was fine while staying in the shadows, but the flow of the crowd pushed me into the light. As soon as they got a good look at my face, they knew I wasn't a woman."

Curio sat up suddenly. "So they know it was you then?"

"I don't know if they recognized who I was."

I said nothing for a moment but then felt the need to add, "You're going to be in a great deal of trouble if they know the name the goes with the face."

"I know that, Antonius! Don't you think I know?"

"You just said you did," I muttered, getting up. "In any case, don't bring my name up. Caesar will have my balls for it."

Clodius shook his head. "I won't say anything."

"In any case, you should think up a story. If they did recognize you, you'll need an alibi," Curio said.

Clodius rubbed his chin. "I'll say I was out of the city. I can have any number of friends testify to say I stayed with them."

Curio rose, smirking. "Good luck. Come on, Antony, let's go."

I nodded my head to Clodius and clapped him on the shoulder as I passed. "Tough spot you're in. Hopefully it will work out."

Curio led the way to the door and both of us exited out into the night.

On the way back to Clodius's with Curio, I stopped off to buy myself a jug of wine. If I had a headache already, what point was there to try to avoid drinking? In fact, as I took a long swig, I thought my headache might be lessening. The quality of the wine was poor. I had taken whatever the shopkeeper had had on hand, and, in truth, I had little coin. Debt had come to plague me lately. I'm sure all the gambling wasn't helping.

"I can't believe you're drinking again after how sick you said you were all day," Curio said to me, shaking his head.

I shrugged. "I've got nothing to lose now."

Curio did not respond because just then we were admitted into Clodius's domus. His servant led us back to the room Clodius was in, and as Curio and I rounded the corner and caught a glimpse of him, I nearly dropped my precious wine jug. I fell against the frame of the door, laughing so hard that my view of him became blurred by tears.

"I knew you shouldn't have said anything to Antony! We'll have half the city looking around to see what's going on thanks to that ridiculous laugh of his," Clodius snapped.

My nose crinkled up as I frowned. "Keep it up and I'll go straight to Caesar now and tell him what's planned. He might even feel moved to award me a bit of coin for my honesty."

"Caesar wouldn't believe you anyway, you drunken lout," Curio said, grinning.

I gave him a shove and then turned my attention back to Clodius, snickering again. He had done well dressing up. Had I been drunk enough and not known him, I might have even invited him back to my apartment after a night at the tavern. He had on a woman's wig that was slightly lop-sided at the moment. The rest of his garb was that of a nymph-like flute girl's. He was even wearing make-up. I walked over to him and set the crooked wig straight, pulling it down hard so I'd jostle his head around.

"B*stard," he said and batted my hands away.

"You actually look like a proper flute girl, you effeminate patrician," I said, slapping him hard on the back.

The force made him stumbled forward, the wig nearly flying off. He shot me a look and then grumbled off to look in a mirror and fix it again. I stepped back to stand beside Curio.

"Think I could pull off dressing up like a woman and sneaking into this party?" I asked.

He looked me up and down. "No," he said, pursing his lips.

Clodius came back and walked out the door. "Let's go," he said.

"Yes, my lady," I said, both Curio and I chuckling as we exited his domus behind him.

"Clodius, how are you going to get in? I'll admit you pass for a woman, but if anyone inspects your face in the light you're going to be found out," Curio said.

"The maid is going to let me in. She said the doors will be open, and she'll be the one watching who's coming in. It's all set. All I'm going to do is meet Pompeia once I'm inside, and she's going to show me what in Hades they do at this thing. After that, I'll slip straight out again and no one will be the wiser, so long as Antony can keep his horse lips shut."

I held up my hands in defense. "I didn't say a thing!"

"Finish another wine jug after that one and we'll see if you can keep as quiet."

His comment reminded me that I was still dragging the jug along with me. I stopped and drank until the rest of its contents slipped down my throat. I tossed the clay vessel in an alley as we passed, and the sound of it shattering made Clodius jump.

He rubbed his face, "You @ss!"

"Don't rub your face, you'll ruin your make-up," I said with a wink.

We entered the Forum, and the Domus Publica loomed before us. Curio and I slowed, not sure what we would do now.

"You two stay back here in the shadows. I don't want to show up escorted by two men. Wait here, if there's trouble I might need you."

We nodded to him and then watched as he walked up to the entrance. As he had said, he had no trouble getting inside. The woman I assumed was the maid, nodded to him and he disappeared inside.

"What now?" I asked Curio, looking around for a place to buy another jug of wine.

"We wait and see."

I was still hungover from the night before. My mouth had been dry all day regardless of the amount of water I'd drank. My head was pounding. I should stay home tonight, I told myself. I resolved that I would. There was nothing that would make me set foot outside of my Domus.

That resolution lasted about as long as an oil lamp's flicker. Eros, my servant, came into the room. He slammed the door too loudly, and I flinched at the sound, my head thumping in protest. He informed me that Curio had come over. That almost got me up. Curio usually sent a summons to me to meet him somewhere. His father hated us being together for any reason. Our new game was going to the Forum or another public place and exchanging impassioned kisses in order to scandalize the masses. So far, it was working pretty well.

Curio entered, but I kept my place on my bed. I was sprawled out there naked. It was summer and far too hot for clothes. I hadn't gotten up yet that day aside from a few trips to the toilet to p*ss and once to cac. Now and then I sat up to drink some more water.

"You won't talk me into anything tonight," I told him.

"You would've been mad if I hadn't come to tell you what's going on."

"Look," I told him as firmly as I could. "I'm staying in tonight."

I heard him chuckle. My face was buried in the pillows. I wasn't about to sit up and turn to him. He knew how much I'd drank last night.

"I think you drank an amphora last night."

I opened my eyes for a moment but even the dimly lit room made my head pound more. "Look, have out what you want to say and let me be, man. Can't you see what a state I'm in?"

"Have it your way then. I just stopped to tell you Clodius's plan for the night."

"I told you, nothing is getting me out of this bed tonight. Even if Clodius is having over ten virgin queens with my name tattooed on their @rses, I wouldn't be moved to pleasure them."

He scoffed as if he doubted that. Well, I doubted it too, but I was just trying to show him how serious I was.

"I'll be off then. I've got to help Clodius get ready for the Bona Dea festival at the Domus Publica."

I sat bolt upright, headache forgotten. "Who for the what?"

His lips pulled back in a mischievous smile. "Well, you could come, but you're staying in tonight. I'll tell you what happens tomorrow -"

"Let me get a tunic on!" I replied and bolted out of bed.