Elizabeth May

Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived

Five years after Quintus lost his arm fighting the Picts (described in Roman Sunset) he decides to travel to see what has become of the Roman Empire. But first he must escort a princess and her husband, to Ireland. However, from the beginning, fate intervenes and Quintus, unwittingly, finds himself involved with people who shaped Western Europe in the death throes of the Western Roman Empire. He meets St. Patrick (Padraig in the story), Niall of the Nine Hostages (ancestor of the High Kings of Ireland), Count Constantinus (father of King Arthur) and the forefathers of Charlemagne. The old soldier's erratic adventure takes him through the rapidly changing world of fifth-century Europe. His actions will alter the course of events and have far-reaching consequences. Many changes will happen but Quintus is an unwitting catalyst in these events.

The Roman legions marched to fight distant wars. People, abandoned by the military, tried to live as before but their enemies saw weakness and invaded, attacked towns and cities, stole cattle, set fire to crops, slaughtered young and old alike and took the rest as slaves. Small groups survived, but with dwindling food supplies they faced death from starvation in the coming winter. Retired soldiers and their families find safety in an old cavalry fort. Refugees join them, including a village headman and a brewer and his daughter. The soldiers want to maintain the Empire's rules until the legions return; the village chief has lost all confidence in the protection of Rome and seeks safety in a new settlement in the hills. The brewer's daughter cannot consider a future while her boyfriend remains a slave in a remote land. They know the raiders will return. To survive, they must resolve their differences, work together and fight back against their enemies.