Emperor Severus is on his deathbed. His sons Geta and Caracalla, feuding in Britannia, are readying for a devastating power struggle.

Silus, now a centurion in the Arcani, the secretive network of spies and killers, is thrown into the maelstrom. Back in Rome, plots breed in the stinking alleys.

Everyone might be an enemy. Everyone a traitor. As an Imperial Assassin, Silus' loyalty will be tested to breaking point. And with the Empire starting to buckle under the strain, Silus must ask what matters: Rome or his own damned soul?

From thundering races at the Circus Maximus to death in the Imperial palaces, this is a powerful and unputdownable novel that will transport to you Ancient Rome, perfect for fans of Ben Kane, Simon Scarrow and Conn Iggulden.

Alex Gough is an author of Roman historical adventures, and has a decades-long interest in Ancient Roman history. His first seriesThe Carbo Chronicles (including Watchmen of Rome, Bandits of Rome and the short story collection, Carbo and the Thief) was the culmination of a lot of research into the underclasses of Ancient Rome. His second series, The Imperial Assassin, is set in the reign of the Severan dynasty, an under-examined period of Roman history. His latest series is based on the larger-than-life character of Mark Antony, the warrior, the commander, the politician and the lover. Alex would love to interact with readers, and you can follow him on twitter @romanfiction, like Alex Gough Author on facebook, or visit his website for reviews of roman fiction and articles about Roman history: www.romanfiction.com