May of the year of salvation 537 AD in Constantinople. The Byzantine Empire is at the peak of its glory under Emperor Justinian. The healer Theano gets entangled in a web of murders and conspiracies as she tries to find two girls who disappeared from a monastery and simultaneously seeks answers for the murder of a former courtesan, Cassandra. 

These two events provide the opportunity to unravel a tangle of corruption among high officials, intrigues, and child trafficking. Assisting her in this investigation are Praetor Manuel and Quaestor Orestes, as well as former prostitutes, gladiators, and beggars. Perpetrators and victims switch roles in a city that devours the weak. Will Theano manage to find those pulling the strings in the end? Who is truly responsible for the crime? The thirst for power and money is a timeless struggle that traces vicious cycles throughout history.