Lanistia warns Vis that Claudius blames Ulciscor for some political problems a few years ago and cannot be trusted. Vis demands to know the truth about Caeror. Lanistia insists that Veridius killed Caeror but offers no further explanation. Vis realizes that Lanistia was friends with Caeror; she and Ulciscor are bonded over their shared desire for revenge.

Vis meets Aequa and they travel to Caten for the Jovan Festival. He pretends to be curious about the naumachia, an enormous mock naval battle, hoping to use it as an excuse to slip away and meet with Sedotia.

Aequa tells Vis what she knows about Caeror’s death: During the Iudicium, there was a tragic accident, and Caeror believed he had killed someone. Though the person survived, Caeror killed himself out of guilt. Vis realizes that Ulciscor has made Vis’s task nearly impossible because, as he now has the Telimus name, everyone will suspect he is there for revenge. This leads Vis to suspect that Ulciscor does not have the backing of Military, as he claims. Finally, they arrive at the arena for the naumachia.