When Iliona's ship is boarded by pirates, she ends up in Rome as a slave. Separated from her brother, Apollo, Iliona is soon at the whim of her owners, and the chance of regaining freedom seems like a distant dream. Iliona's life as a slave isn't as bad as she feared: her new family provides clothing, food, and even schooling, and best of all, she is free to explore the wonders of Rome.