In a land where Rome never conquered Britannia...

From the moment Emlyn Gwen opened her eyes, she was a slave who served one purpose- a martial bound to protect one mistress- her childhood friend Sylvia Chronister. Emlyn has accepted her role as protector, but when a slave catcher asks for her help in resolving the most notorious murder case in Londinium's history what she finds leads her down a road with an end that could break her conditioning and send her on a path to freedom.

Sylvia controls vast wealth, and many people would like to lay claim to it. But she has a bigger problem; she's in love with her martial. To bed your martial is scandalous, to be in love with them is social suicide. A fact that could bring her and her house to ruin.