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As I stared at the wood grain, I knew beyond any doubt that I hadn’t left it closedSo, the burning question ho had closed it?

My heart started pounding and I pushed the door open

Nothing

Not a thing was out of placeMy bed was made and my room was neat, except for the shoes scattered on the floorMost ih, it was empty I al began againAll aroundlouder and louder The rooain, toward my dresserMy hand didn’t even feel attached toopen a drawer

The bloodstone gloildly froI couldn’t help ers and wrapped the heart instopped

"All will be lost, Charnize the scarythe stone to my chest, I whirled around

And screairl does when she finds someone in her bedrooe stood perched at the edge of rown vultureHis volunarled, twisted hand toward meAs he moved, thick swirls of incense swirled aroundinto my head

I was suddenly consumed with fearNot for the obvious, sane reason- because a strangein h priests were actually cannibals

Where did that coh priest?

I wasn’t even in control of hts as unbidden memories that I didn’t even know I had rushed back to h priests were cannibalsThey ate the flesh of those they considered wise, hoping that they would gain that wisdoe thoughts were, but the second they sprung to mind, it was all I could think of

A cannibal stood in front of me with sunken cheeks, razor thin lips and a shaved headI shuddered and he s even thinner across his gaunt face

His terrifying expression was startling and ainsthis eyes was sed as it streaked in murky rivulets down his sweaty cheeks

"Do not fear, Char ainAn invitation to grasp his talon-like fingersI took a shaky step backward There was no way I was touching himNo Way

"Take it,"he insisted"You mustYou are the only one who can help"

With a speed I wouldn’t have thought he possessed, he snatched my handAnd I dropped to my knees in front of hih ers, she frantically clutched at her chest, scratching at the skin, drawing bloodIn my vision, she turned her head and stared into my eyesCleopatra

I knew it just like I knew reen paint swept across her eyelids and her plump lips were stained crimsonDon’t ask reen was malachiteShe wore a short white shift and delicate leather sandals on her feet, the thin straps interwoven with golden strands and wrapping around her slender calves until they tied neatly behind her knees

She rushed toblack hair as dark as a shadow

"Charh the open balcony doors to our left and then collapsed back into a heap, weeping inconsolably

Gazing over the stone railing of the balcony wall, I stared into the harbor below usHundreds of ships were filling the glistening harborRomeRome had descended upon us

How did I know that?

But I knewJust as I knew that Ro, overwhel presence that had creshendoed every day, a presence led by Gaius Julius CaesarOtherwise called Octavian, with a bland smile and expressionless eyes Perfectly polite and perfunctory, but seely inhuman and emotionless, the adopted son of Julius Caesar ypt for his ownAnd suddenly, instead of asking myself how I knew any of this, all I could wonder was …How had I forgotten?

I turned froe in Cleopatra’s gilded bronze reen eyes stared back at s were the sahter, older Exotically beautiful Golden skin, ancient clothingHenna tattoos delicately curled down olden jewelry adorned my neck and wristsMy lips were plule blemish or freckle

But it was e was dizzying

"What is happening?"I whispered desperately

As soon as I spoke, the visions snapped closed as though soain standing in front of the old priest

AnnenHis name is Annen