• Hardback
• First Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• 372 pages
• Fiction: Historical
• Book 11/26 in the Eagles of the Empire series

The city of Rome in AD 51 is a dangerous place, even for Emperor Claudius. Treachery lurks on every corner, and a shadowy Republican movement, 'the Liberators', has spread its tentacles wide. It is feared that the heart of the latest plot lies in the ranks of the Praetorian Guard, who have free access to the Emperor, and are known to be easily corruptible. Uncertain of whom he can trust, the Imperial Secretary Narcissus summons to Rome two courageous men guaranteed to be loyal to the grave: army veterans Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro.

Tasked with infiltrating the Guard, they also face a race against time to discover the whereabouts of Rome's missing grain supply, as the starving mob's outrage grows. But as their investigation proceeds it becomes clear that there is more than one conspiracy against Claudius and that he is surrounded by plotters. In a perilous race against time to save their Emperor, the odds swiftly mount against Cato and Macro. Could this be one mission too dangerous for them to succeed in?