I sit up with a start. Blinking rapidly, I stare at my surroundings. I am still in the atrium of the Caecilius' home, laid out on one of the seats.

A hand comes to rest on my sweat-beaded forehead. "Inara," I hear the Doctor's anxious voice call out to me, my head still fuzzy from sleep. Or something else. The comfort brought by his presence is soon forgotten as I remember what I had seen. Panicking, I try to stand but he pushes me back down. "It's all right. You just passed out for a bit — longer than I'd expected, but you're fine."

Quintus and his father stand just behind him, watching over me. At a small flick of the Doctor's hand, the boy pours out a goblet of wine and passes it to me. I can't gain the clarity to speak just yet. Stroking the hair out of my face, the Doctor guides the cup to my lips. I only manage a sip before pulling away, trying to stand again. "The Coin."

"She was just trying to get a reaction."

"No. No, the Coin, it's here. I saw it."

His concern only becomes more evident. Moving to sit beside me, he continues to stroke my hair in the hopes that it will encourage me to relax. "You had a vision?" he worriedly asks.

"It was around his neck. Lucius, he— he has it. We need to get it back."

It is enough for him to believe. He doesn't doubt me or dismiss it with assumptions. Instead, he pauses, nods, and takes my hand in his firm, reassuring grip. "We'll get it. I promise we will. Just let me figure out what's going on with these vapours."

I begrudgingly agree and accept the cup once more, draining it of the alcohol and holding it out for more. Quintus obliges and pours one for himself, too. I realise that it is evening now. The light peeking through the patterned windows and the gates to the garden has gone, leaving only the candles arrayed around the room to provide us with their warm glow.

The Doctor presses a quick kiss against my forehead before jogging over to the raised vent of the hypocaust. It takes a few tries to dislodge the heavy grate that covers it, allowing the acrid steam to rise in more distinct clouds. I stay seated but peer over at it, finding the orange glistening of heated stones rather than the darkness there usually is from the insulated gap between the ground floor and the space below. "Different sort of hypocaust," he notes.

Standing over him with an oil lamp, Caecilius replies, "Oh, yes, we're very advanced in Pompeii. In Rome, they're still using the old wood-burning furnaces. But we've got hot springs leading from Vesuvius itself."

"Who thought of that?"

"The soothsayers," he says, sitting on the edge of the vent, careful not to touch it. "After the great earthquake, seventeen years ago. An awful lot of damage. But we rebuilt."

The Doctor frowns. "Didn't you think of moving away. No, then again, San Francisco..."

"That's a little restaurant in... Naples, isn't it?"

I can't stick around any longer. This idle chatter is getting us nowhere. He may have promised me, but that is easily drowned out by thoughts of the Coin. It's so close, I almost have it. I can hear it calling to me.

While they're distracted, I sneak out through the gates and into the elegant neighbourhood of villas that make up Foss Street. It takes some wandering to bring me to a more densely populated area near the poorer end of the city. I only pause to ask a fishmonger for directions as he packs up his stall. He is so distracted by pointing the way to Lucius's house that he does not notice the small knife I take from his table, slipping it into my pocket.

The villa of the City Augur is, unsurprisingly, large and elaborate. Like Caecilius's, it has a set of gates that open into a gardened courtyard and another to the atrium. I slip in the servant's entrance round the back. Nobody passes me as I tiptoe along the narrow corridor and into the far more spacious halls. The way is barely visible, only a few candles lighting the way. I take an oil lamp to aid my search.

The ringing has grown louder in my ears. I follow it, quietly searching through drawers and scroll shelves. It doesn't take long for my caution to be forgotten in favour of burning desperation. I tear through boxes and amphoras, breaking what won't open for me, the shards of pottery slicing at my fingers but leaving no pain in my intoxicated state.

Eventually, I reach the door to a study and throw it open, coming face to face with the man himself. I stumble back. He follows me out into the atrium. "I am beginning to wonder just how selective your Minerva is with her followers."

My gaze is immediately drawn to the artefact that hangs from his neck. I set down the oil lamp and draw the knife from my pocket. The cold blade catches the light. "Did you think I wouldn't assume you were here? I came prepared," I spit, jabbing it in his direction as a warning when his guards get too close.

"And what do you intend to do with that, you silly girl? Kill me?"

I shrug. "It's not beyond me."

"Do you think it self-defence, breaking into this house, murdering the mouthpiece of the Gods?" Lucius taunts, taking another step towards me.

I still can't take my eyes off of the Coin. The ringing is almost painful, it makes my head spin. It won't stop until it's in my possession. Gulping, I tighten my hold on the blade. "I don't kill without reason... but if anyone or anything gets in the way of the Coin being returned to its rightful owners, I will find that reason very easily, mark my words. Now, give it to me."

His eyes narrow. "We have been waiting for you, Daughter of the Ancestors. We knew you would come," he says, the threat in his tone fading somewhat in favour of a more informative warning.

"Then you know that the Gods want me to have it. I was sent by a Sibylline prophecy, I was appointed by divine will, by Apollo and Minerva, by Jupiter himself. Even you cannot stand in the way of that." In an effort to be more polite, I set offer out my hand, pleading with him, "Give me the Coin and I will restore the Home of the Gods."

He traces it with his finger and my breath catches in my throat. "This Coin brings only death," he cruelly remarks.

Despite myself, I smile. "But it can bring life, too."

"From death comes life, as any man with sense is aware of, but Janus is a trickster of faith."

Anger comes just as quickly as delirium. I brandish the knife, coming even closer. I seethe, "Janus is a God and you will serve him just as you serve the rest. Give it to me, or I will cut it from your neck!"

In my state, I do not notice the guards approaching from behind me. The knife is twisted from my grasp and a sharp blow to the back of my head sends me lurching forwards, caught in their unforgiving grasp as my knees buckle.

Whatever he plans to do next is cut off by the sound of voices from within the study. "The liar!" Quintus's gasp is heard. "He told my father it was the only one."

"Well," the Doctor replies, "plenty of marble merchants in this town. Tell them all the same, get all the components from different places, so no one can see what you're building."

"Which is what?"

Lucius steps into the doorway. "The future, Doctor. We are building the future, as dictated by the Gods."

He tenses when he sees me, dazed and restrained by the guards. He glances to the knife on the floor, then to the Coin hanging around our enemy's neck, then back to me. "See I'm not the only intruder you've had tonight."

"The girl did little damage. She will be dealt with accordingly."

A faint smirk curls at his lips as he looks at the broken amphoras and disturbed scrolls over the rim of his glasses. "Doesn't seem like that." He claps his hands together. "Right! Let's have a look at this circuit, shall we?"

Only now do I notice what stands behind him — at least a dozen black marble slabs, all arranged on a shelf. Just as I had heard them say: Lucius has gone to multiple marble merchants to complete the circuit without suspicion. I try to use the distraction to approach him again but the guards tighten their hold on me, wringing my arms behind my back. I gasp and grimace but do not try to break free. My head still swims with the incessant ringing.

He watches, sour as ever, furious that his plan has been discovered, as the Doctor rearranges the slabs with Quintus's help. "Put this one there... this one there.... uh, keep that one upside down. What have you got?"

"Enlighten me."

Arching an eyebrow, he teases, "What, the soothsayer doesn't know?"

"A seed may float on the breeze in any direction."

"Yeah, I knew you were gonna say that. But it's an energy converter."

The name means nothing to the Augur. He glares ahead, not showing his uneasiness. "An energy converter of what?"

The Doctor breaks into a wide grin. "I don't know. Isn't that brilliant? I love not knowing. Keeps me on my toes. It must be awful being a prophet, waking up every morning, 'Is it raining? Yes, I said so.' Takes all the fun out of life. But who designed this, Lucius, hm? Who gave you these instructions?" he enquires, softening as if he speaks to an old friend.

"I think you've babbled enough."

I try to move again. The Coin's calls pulse through my mind, growing louder. My gaze keeps drifting and blurring. He hesitates, his eyes flitting over to me. Still, his voice remains gentle and pleading as he says, "Lucius, tell me, honestly. I'm on your side, I can help."

"You insult the Gods," he harshly rebukes. "There can be only one sentence. At arms!"

In their haste to draw their swords, the guards seem to forget me. I drop like a stone. My arms ache just as badly as my head now. It takes a great deal of energy to keep myself mostly upright, shakily crawling away from them in case they remember my previous threats. A forgotten weapon finds itself under my searching palm. The Doctor pulls me up and leans me against him, his protective hold on me clear despite his attempts to appear unbothered. "Oh, morituri te salutant," he sighs wearily.

"Celtic prayers won't help you now."

Still carrying the torch for us, Quintus anxiously interrupts, "It was him, sir, he made me do it. Mr Dextrus, please don't."

"Come on now, Quintus. Dignity in death," the Doctor scolds him. He holds out his right hand. "I respect your victory, Lucius. Shake on it?" His request is not answered. "Come on. Dying man's wish?"

Without warning, he lunges forwards, yanking at Lucius's cloaked arm. To my horror, it comes away — a limb made entirely of stone. Quintus stares between it and the Augur in bewilderment. "But he's..."

"Show me."

The game is up. Scowling, he pulls the cloth over his shoulder to reveal what now remains of his upper arm, all petrified. Fissures run up from the crumbled stump. "The work of the Gods."

"He's stone!" the boy finally manages to articulate.

"Armless enough, though. Whoops!" With the sudden shout, he tosses the limb up in the air and takes advantage of the distraction to bolt for the open window.

Instead, I run forwards and grab Lucius. Taking the knife I had retrieved and concealed under my jacket, I turn him and press it over his chest. "Don't move," I warn his soldiers. "Don't even think about it. I'm strong enough and I know where to aim."

They pause, begrudgingly raising their arms in surrender. I keep the knife on him, pushed deep enough for him to hold his breath as a spot of blood soaks through his white robes under its point. My other hand works the chain over his head.

I stare at the smooth surface of the Coin. It is more precious than anything I have seen in my life; no metal, no gem shines quite like this. The conjoined faces smile welcomingly up at me. They are pleased to finally meet me. After all this time, we are together — Janus and I. We will bring such beautiful balance to the universe together.

Everything fades away. Even the ringing. A perfect silence envelops me.

The only thing capable of breaking me from my trance is a sharp tug on my wrist. I blink, frowning. The Doctor pulls me again, just in time to get me out of the way of a jabbing sword. He points his sonic screwdriver at the shelf, causing all of the marble slabs to topple. We make it to the open window and Quintus tosses his torch at the guards to stop them from following.

"Run!" the Doctor bellows. We don't argue, sprinting the second we land in the street outside. Even so, I hold the Coin up in front of me, watching how the light catches on it. Finally mine. He has to take my hand again just to keep me from lagging behind. "What were you thinking, taking him on like that? You could've been killed!"

"Oh, what does it matter? I found it, Doctor!"

—

We make it back to the poorer district, coming to a stop in an empty street. Only the moonlight and the odd torch lights our way. "No sign of them," the Doctor pants, warily eyeing the Coin I keep cradled in my hands. "Nice little bit of allons-y. I think we're all right."

Quintus braces himself against an abandoned stall, struggling to catch his breath. "But his arm, Doctor. Is that what's happening to Evelina?"

The ground shakes.

"What was that?"

It isn't like the earthquakes anymore. Each tremor comes one by one, heavy and quick. We stumble out into the open in search of the source. "The mountain?"

"No, it's closer."

Not only is it closer, but it's also getting more so by the second. In the direction of the noise, crates topple one by one, as if knocked over by some invisible force. "Footsteps..."

"It can't be."

"Footsteps underground."

The boy stares fearfully between us. "What is it? What is it?"

We run before we can find out. A narrow alley seems like the best bet. I keep the Coin close to my chest, clutched in both hands. I can't lose it now, not after everything. It still pulses faintly, like the steady thrumming of a heartbeat. A vent bursts open as we pass it, sending a plume of steam into the air. We pick up the pace.

Bursting through the gates of Quintus's house, we find his family already gathered in the atrium, alerted by the noise. "Caecilius, all of you! Get out!"

Donna, now dressed in a purple chiton, reaches to steady him as we come to a stop. "Doctor, what is it?"

"I think we're being followed. Just get out!"

The hypocaust grate flies off and a loud growl shakes the room. Frozen in fear, we all watch as the floor beneath it cracks apart. The creature that rises from the destruction is made of stone, its limbs jagged, assembled by joints of molten rock and fire.

Evelina ignores his warnings, staggering forth from our huddle. She gazes up at it in wonderment. "The Gods are with us."

I find myself wondering if she is, indeed, right. If one can exist in this very room in the form of the Janus Coin, then it can't be impossible. Even if I'm wrong, I can't bring myself to care enough about it. It hurts to look away from my precious artefact for too long. I raise it to my lips and kiss its warm surface.

"Water, we need water!" I hear the Doctor shout. "Quintus, all of you, get water! Inara, get away from that thing!"

"Di Immortales."

"Blest are we to see the Gods."

A force knocks me to the ground. Struggling free from the Doctor's tangled limbs beside me, I look up just in time to see the blast of fire directed from the creature's mouth, burning the servant who had spoken to cinders. I had only been standing a few feet away. The heat lingers in the air above me.

But, still, I don't focus on it, or the fact that he has gotten to his feet, cautiously approaching the creature with his arms wide in surrender. What worries me more despite all reason is the cold emptiness of my palm.

Panic surges quicker than I realise. Gasping, I frantically scrabble at the polished floors to find the fallen Coin. The ground quakes beneath me and dust showers over my hunched body but I don't care. My dizziness only subsides when I see its silvery glint in the shadow of the impluvium. Crawling over, I snatch it up.

There is a splash from above me as water is drawn from the pool into a bucket. Finally, the noise subsides, the growls cease and the ground stills.

When I tear my gaze from the blessed metal, I realise that the creature has been reduced to rubble. Quintus stands beside me, his bucket now empty. His family watches on in horror.

"What is it?" Caecilius cries, still cowering in the corner with his wife.

"Carapace of stone, held together by internal magma. Not too difficult to stop. But I reckon that's just the foot soldier." the Doctor slowly answers. He stoops to help me to my feet once again. I barely spare him a glance, just a quick smile before I return to my examinations of the relic, reassuring myself that it has not been damaged by the fall in any way. The twin faces seem to mouth promises to me. All is well. Not long, now.

Metella brushes herself off and fixes him with a cold glare. "Doctor, or whatever your name is, you bring bad luck on this house."

He scoffs, "I thought your son was brilliant. Aren't you going to thank him?"

They seem surprised by the comment but embrace him nonetheless. It takes all of my willpower to put the Coin out of my sight, secured in a pocket within my jacket. Frowning, I nudge a chunk of the steaming rubble with my foot. There is nothing divine about it now. "I thought— B-But I was so sure..."

He doesn't seem to hear me. "Still... if there are aliens at work in Pompeii, it's a good thing we stayed. Donna?"

No reply comes.

"Donna?"

We look around. She is nowhere to be seen.

"Donna!"

——————

With enough pressure, we manage to wheedle out an answer from Evelina about her whereabouts. We follow her directions all the way to the Temple of Sibyl.

His hand brushes against my arm as we reach the temple steps when he sees me hesitate. I urgently shake my head. "You can't come in."

"What?" He isn't offended, only confused.

"This is a maiden's temple. The presence of a man... it's sacrilege."

But he scrunches his nose, shrugging dismissively. "Nah, they knew I was coming. If they were so against it, I'd have been stopped already."

Still, I don't move.

He tries to touch me again, this time resting a hand on my shoulder, making out eyes meet. "Inara," he tries.

A flicker of true warmth breaks through the invisible aura that surrounds me, separating me from the world — a protective membrane. I look past his searching eyes, just to their corners, noticing the faint crow's feet wrinkles at their edges. Anything to avoid his gaze. Like there's a barrier preventing me from reaching him.

"Talk to me."

My lips are pulled up into a thin smile. "Donna's in trouble. We'd better go."

We can already hear her shouts as the Doctor and I creep inside. Several women stand in a circle, dressed in scarlet robes, their faces painted white, accentuated by coal marks curling from their brows to their inner eyes just like the image on the back of their joined hands.

"The False Prophet will surrender both her blood and her breath," announces their leader, a priestess with a golden sickle moon hanging from her neck. She holds her obsidian blade to the heavens as she calls on the last blessings.

"I'll surrender you in a minute. Don't you dare!" comes a shout from within their circle.

"You will be silent."

We draw closer still, waiting for the opportune moment to intervene. Donna seems to be handling it rather well. "Listen, sister, you might have eyes on the back of your hands, but