A gripping short story, set in the world of Romanitas, plus an extended extract of Romanitas, chronicling the fortunes of the Roman Empire in a paralellel modern world . . .

The Roman Empire stretches from India in the East to the Great Wall of Terranova in the West. A runaway slave girl with a strange gift sets out to rescue her brother and seize her freedom, while the young heir to the Imperial throne discovers a plot against his life.

For all three, the only way to survive may shake the Empire to its roots.

A fast-moving, compelling story, brilliantly imagined - CONN IGGULDEN

[A] hugely imaginative debut - DAILY MIRROR

A thoroughly good read ... vividly imagined ... elegant, lively writing - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH