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the great god Demnos.’
    â€˜Demnos?’ The Doctor muttered the name. Ever since he had heard it on the lips of the pikemen it had rankled at the back of his mind.
    â€˜Have you heard of him?’ asked Sarah.
    The Doctor nodded. It had come in a flash of memory. ‘A particularly nasty Roman cult, which was supposed to have died out in the third century.’
    â€˜So why are they still around in the fifteenth century?’ Sarah’s voice echoed in the darkness. ‘And what have they got to do with the Mandragora Helix?’
    â€˜Put it the other way, Sarah. What has the Mandragora Helix to do with them? What we saw back there was a sub-thermal recombination of ionised plasma.’
    There was a slight pause. ‘Simple,’ said Sarah. ‘I should have thought of that.’
    â€˜The question is,’ continued the Doctor, ‘why a remote, obscure little planet like Earth... what is their intention?’... He tailed off ruminating on the problem.
    â€˜Conquest? Invasion? They want to take over Earth and fill it full of old Roman temples.’
    The Doctor laughed. ‘The Intelligences that inhabit the Helix don’t have a physical existence in the way that you or I would understand it. They don’t need Earth.’
    The Doctor was about to speculate further when he received a nudge in the ribs from Sarah’s elbow. ‘Come in Number Seven your time is up.’
    â€˜What?’
    Sarah nodded towards the darkness behind him. The Doctor whirled round. Four large shapes were advancing towards them in the gloom, their long pikes glinting in the reflected moonlight from the entrance. They surrounded the Doctor and Sarah and motioned the pair to their feet. Resistance was futile. They both obeyed and allowed themselves to be prodded out of the tunnel and into the palace gardens.
    â€˜Just when the conversation was getting interesting too,’ sighed the Doctor loudly and gave a wink of encouragement to Sarah.

5
The Prince Must Die
    The Doctor and Sarah were led hurriedly through the gardens and into the palace itself. Once inside, their captors marched them silently along dimly lit corridors, and finally bundled them into a small wood-panelled chamber. A handsome young man with dark-brown hair and wearing fine garments rose from a table as they were thrust in. The Doctor recognised him immediately as the stranger who had observed his interrogation by Hieronymous.
    The young man nodded curtly to the guards who released their hold on the prisoners and left the room.
    â€˜Whatever happened to that old-time Italian courtesy?’ complained Sarah rubbing her sore wrists.
    â€˜I apologise if you were roughly handled,’ said the young man. ‘Speed was essential. My uncle has men searching for you everywhere.’
    The Doctor looked surprised. ‘Your uncle?’
    The young man nodded. ‘Count Federico. He has given orders that you be executed immediately you are found. Luckily, a few of the guards are still loyal to their Prince.’ He gave a brief smile.
    Sarah felt a sudden sense of relief. ‘And that’s you?’
    â€˜Giuliano, Duke of San Martino.’ The young man bowed politely.
    â€˜And this is my companion, Marco.’
    A tall fair-haired young man stepped forward from the back of the room where he had been concealed in the shadows. He bowed stiffly.
    â€˜Tell me more about your uncle,’ said the Doctor.
    â€˜The Count murdered Giuliano’s father,’ interposed Marco with vehemence.
    â€˜Are you certain?’
    Giuliano nodded. ‘Certain.’
    â€˜And now he’s plotting to kill Giuliano.’
    â€˜I take it you don’t get on with your uncle,’ smiled the Doctor.
    The Prince looked serious. ‘My uncle is a tyrant.’
    â€˜While Giuliano lives Federico can never claim