Dragged, terrified, from her home in occupied Britain by an arrogant Roman officer, and taken on the long journey to Imperial Rome, the bewildered young Thea is determined to escape. Flavius, her captor, tells her she is really Thelia, long-lost daughter of a Roman Senator. But how can this be when she has been brought up to dislike and distrust all Romans? Who can she trust in decadent Rome? Not Octavia her beautiful ‘sister’, nor her compatriot the gladiator Gregor. Only her determination to tell the proud Flavius exactly what she thinks of his ruthless treatment spurs her on to learn his language and plot her revenge.