Following the defeat of Boudicca's uprising, her daughter Solina must survive the ruin left behind and the enduring danger attached to her mother's name. Though she shares the Iceni queen's intelligence and strength, Solina cannot simply repeat Boudicca's choices. Her path leads from the marshlands of Britain to Nero's Roman Empire, where splendour masks violence, political calculation and the power of conquest. Living in the shadow of a legend, Solina learns to use observation, adaptability and courage as weapons of her own. The novel follows her attempt to preserve her identity, negotiate divided loyalties and build a future in a world determined to define her through her mother's rebellion.