 Sabina wants to pay him off and considers him a failure, when the news arrives that Viridovix, the Hortensii's Gaulish cook, is also dead.He too was poisoned.Continuing to investigate, Falco is beaten up badly by thugs working for Appius Priscillus, a rival of the Hortensii, but is rescued and nursed back to health by Helena in their new apartment.