| In an empire where politics are played as lethally as spectator sports, where true liberty is reserved for citizens, and a foreigner's citizenship must be bought with blood, a remarkable woman rises to challenge tradition's foundations. Proud British Celt Rhyddes ferch Rudd was betrayed by her father and sold into slavery to pay a tax debt levied by her people's conquerors, the Romans. On London's auction block, her beauty catches the eye of Marcus Calpurnius Aquila, son of Britain's governor. But her physique attracts Egyptian-born Roman citizen Jamil Al-Omar, owner and trainer of gladiators, and Rhyddes becomes Jamil's first female competitor. Rhyddes's fiery fighting style and penchant for winning quickly earns her a loyal fan following, and Governor Agricola's enmity, for he fears she will use her popularity to incite a revolt. Worse yet, he sees his son falling under the spell of her powerful allure. To solve that problem and to strengthen his power base, Governor Agricola arranges a wedding between Marcus and the daughter of the influential Senator Falco. However, the betrothal carries more repercussions than either Agricola or Marcus could have ever imagined. For Falco's ambitions know no bounds, and his influence runs deep into the core of the emperor's elite Praetoran Guard. Through Governor Agricola's machinations, Jamil is forced by longtime enemies into relinquishing possession of his gladiator-slaves. It devastates Rhyddes to be separated from Marcus without one last opportunity to demonstrate her love for him. She and the others are shipped to Rome to become embroiled in Falco's scheme to depose the emperor. On the pretense of wanting to arrive early for his wedding, Marcus follows the woman he loves but—because of their disparate social stations—can never marry. When three senators known to stand in opposition to Falco are murdered, Marcus pieces together the details of Falco's plot. He plunges into a race against the sundial to convince Rhyddes and the other gladiators to thwart Falco and save the emperor before the senator can add Marcus and his parents to the list of targets. For, upon winning the imperial throne, Falco does not intend to reward the gladiators with freedom for their participation in his coup, as he had promised, but death. |
The Zack Company, Inc.
