The next minutes brought my nerves on edge. I walked up and down in the candle circle and checked for the umpteenth time the seconds trickling by on my phone. If we wanted to complete this ritual at or before sunrise, we had to start soon. But without Paul, or at least Marius, all our preparations would be useless. "Vic, what could be the reason he didn't turn up? So far, he or at least Marius' ghost always followed the lamp."

"Yes, you pointed this out yesterday. That's why I placed the shard back into its box in the depot, as you suggested, and took the lamp—" She pressed a hand against her lips, her eyes widening and the blood draining from her cheeks.

"What?" A dark hole of dread opened in my guts.

"I guess I made a stupid mistake. Before I left the depot last night, I wondered what Paul would do and concluded he might as well stage another break in. So I took the lamp home to ensure he stood away. I doubted he would try or succeed to break into our apartment building for the lamp alone." Her words made sense, and I should have thought of this possibility myself.

Vic ran a hand over her eyes. "I feared if both the lamp and the shard were both in the depot, nothing could prevent him from reuniting them on his own. He is a pro with this kind of stuff, after all. I thought it was a clever idea, and I don't live that far away, twenty minutes by car at most."

The penny dropped. "But by foot it would take several hours."

Vic nodded. "For sure. I've never measured the distance, but I guess it would be around twenty-five kilometres."

"He might be too far away to reach us in time, then." I calculated. "If Paul were in control, he would drive, but I think in the meantime, Marius has the upper hand in this unfortunate partnership. As a Roman soldier, he will walk." I smacked my head. "So stupid of me not to remember he'd track the lamp at all costs."

"Not your fault, San. It was me who removed the lamp from the depot without telling you. I'll search for our lost Paul." Vic snatched up her bag.

"Wait." Matt grabbed her arm. "How do you know where to start? Driven by the Roman ghost, he may as well move cross-country. Let's assume he hadn't arrived at your place yet at the moment you left and turned to follow the lamp. Then, he could be anywhere in the triangle between the depot, your house, and here right now."

I nodded and tried to imagine the topography. "He will choose the shortest way or one Marius remembers from before his death, I think. Sir Guillaume, can you locate a fellow ghost at a certain distance?"

The knight scratched his beard. "I might—if he's close and strong enough. Do you want us to hunt for the legionary using the carriage?"

"Yes, let's hurry." Vic gestured towards the car park. "If we split, we double our chances. Matt can follow the main road with the van, and I'll drive across the fields on agricultural roads."

Vic had a point—even if I was hesitant to leave the place now, with everything set up for the ritual. A decision had to be taken fast, though. "Fine, it seems to be our only option." I still felt uneasy, but had no better suggestion. "We have half an hour at most. Matt, you take Sir Guillaume, and I ride with Vic. Either of us might sense if we get into Marius' proximity."

This left Lou to guard the ritual site in the company of Cinna. I looked at him. "Is this okay for you, Lou?"

He sent the female ghost a hooded glance. "Sure, as long as you don't abandon me here with the silent Roman lady." His grin seemed forced, but he ushered me to hurry. I decided I would owe him one after this night.

"We'll be back at sunrise at the latest, promise. Please call me if Paul turns up." I checked if my phone was switched on and had enough power left, kissed him on the lips, and urged Vic to leave, but she stared at her own buzzing phone.

"It's him, Paul..." She scrutinised the screen as if it were part of a strange artefact before she accepted the call and pressed the phone against her ear. "Paul, so glad you called back. Where are you?" Her eyes turned vacant under knitted brows. "That's not funny, man. Stop the gibberish and say something I can understand, then I'll pick you up within minutes."

"Can I get your phone, please?" I reached out a hand and she handed it over, still frowning. I pressed the loudspeaker icon. "Sir Guillaume, would you mind asking him in Latin where he is?"

"Whom?" The ghost turned and scanned the surroundings with a puzzled expression.

"Here." I pointed at the glowing screen. "Marius is on the line." At least Paul held enough control over the functions of his body to operate the device. I wondered if he had any free will he left at this point.

A deep frown formed on Sir Guillaume's forehead as he bent low over the small screen. "In this tiny box? Poor guy, this must feel cramped, even for a ghost."

Sometimes I forgot about the medieval knight's patchy tech knowledge. I took a calming breath. "This is a telephone. Marius is at the other end of the line and needs directions. Can you talk to him, please?"

Sir Guillaume sent me a sceptical glance, but surprised me by accepting my word for it. He expanded his chest as if he'd have to play the tuba, and bellowed with all his might and as un-ghostlike as I had ever heard him. "Ubi es?"

Marius' answer was almost as ear-splitting—and as incomprehensible as always. Guillaume frowned and twirled his moustache. "Why does the man shout? He says he is ad portam orientalem. This means the eastern gate, right? Do you have any idea where it is?"

Vic snapped her fingers. "The East Gate was the main gate of the Roman city. Part of it still stands and is closer than I thought. There's an agricultural road starting near the ruins of the bathhouse. I'll fetch him and be back in fifteen."

She sprinted away, not bothering with her phone. Matt shook his head and ran after her, catching up fast. I stared at the screen and then at the knight. "Can you convince Marius to wait until Vic and Matt pick him up?"

Sir Guillaume did his best to engage the legionary in conversation, this time in his normal voice, but the answers were clipped. I feared the possessed man might move on, attracted by the lamp. To prevent this, I picked up the artefact and removed the loose shard using Vic's trick, unsure how long this could hold back Marius at this point.

"Can you ask him about the identity and motivation of Cinna's murderer, please? Or just keep him talking about whatever other subject he prefers." I hoped this would keep him busy for a few minutes. From my position, I saw Matt's van pulling out of the parking lot and speed away towards the south. At least he had convinced Vic that his car was more reliable than her museum's piece.

As I had hoped, Guillaume's question about the murderer produced a lengthy reply. While Lou and I waited for the translation, I kept my eyes on Cinna. Did she understand? I couldn't read her pale features, and since I had removed the shard from the lamp, she seemed less solid and almost apathetic.

Guillaume's bellow tore me out of my thoughts. "Marius says he bested the murderer, a certain Flavius Otacilius something, the maritus of Cinna. This would have been her husband, right?" Guillaume interrupted his translation to listen to the next part of Marius' story. "If I get it right, this Otacilius guy found out she was pregnant and sent his slave to kill her. Thus, he ensured he inherited her considerable wealth. Seems the girl is of noble ancestry, and I bet her pregnancy was from another man than her husband."

"Great information. Please keep him talking. Does Marius feel remorse?"

Guillaume nodded and translated my question. He seemed to get the hang of the other ghost's dialect. "Marius assures he does, but not for killing the man, only for his curse. If you allow me to utter my opinion, I find his sense of moral rather unchristian."

I'd forgotten that historical sources described the founder of the Corbières dynasty as a stout, pious man. But I didn't have the time and intention to engage in a theological debate with a Roman soldier and a medieval knight. So I was glad when the sound of screeching tyres followed by the slamming of a car door drifted from the phone. "Seems Vic and Matt arrived. Quick, ask Marius another question."

Sir Guillaume babbled something in quick Latin, but before the other ghost could respond, we heard Vic's panting voice. "Paul, come on, we must hurry."

"Victorine? What—" The call was interrupted. Lou and I exchanged glances, hoping Paul hadn't thrown another fit and was attacking Matt and Vic right now.