Rome, AD 25: Marcus Salvius Magnus, Patron of the Crossroads Brotherhood, has a problem. In fact, he has two. One of the brothels under his protection has been raided by a rival Brotherhood, and valuable merchandise has been stolen. He can't lose face and let the attack go unpunished, but how can he retaliate without igniting a gang war?

At the other end of the social spectrum, Lady Antonia - the emperor's sister-in-law - has let Senator Gaius Vespasius Pollo know that she has a score that only blood will settle, and Magnus owes the Senator a favour. Now, a simple assassination wouldn't be a problem for a man like Magnus, but the instruction is that this death has to be a little more... inventive... than the usual knife-in-the-back-in-a-dark-alley.

Perhaps the Patronus of the Crossroads Brotherhood can kill two birds with one stone?

A VESPASIAN NOVELLA

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