b'Chapter Eight L ivia awoke to the wisps of a disturbing dream, floating justbeyondconsciousness.Shelaystill,eyesclosed, groping for what had jarred her awake. Memories of the funeralflittedpast.Theprocession.Themourners.Fathers body, laid out in finery. The hungry flames of the pyre, per-fumed with incense. The scene shifted to her fathers body, when it had first been brought home. The bodyyes, there was something about his body. What was it? Something missing? Something wrong with . . . his hand? It was shiny. With blood? No, a ring.She sat up with a jerk. Roxana, fetch my jewelry case.Shootingherapuzzledlook,Roxanacomplied.Liviaun-latched the lid. It was right where shed put it, the heavy silver ring bearing Fathers seal. Thats worth a good few denarii, Roxana said.Yes it was. She plucked the ring from the chest and held it up. If you were a thief desperate enough to kill two strong men, would you leave such a valuable piece of jewelry behind?No, my lady. Not if it was visible.Was that what the dream had been trying to tell her? She closed her eyes. The image from the dream had faded, yet the unsettled feeling remained. The ring was part of it, but not the whole answer. When you were helping Dryas, did you notice anything odd about Fathers body?No, my lady.But then, Roxana barely knew him. Help me dress.'