Claudia Seferius is broke. Skint. Cleaned out. Bust. When her teenage stepdaughter Flavia is abducted, Claudia can't just throw money at the problem. The cash simply isn't there - since her husband died, his fellow businessmen have banded together to freeze her out of trade. The frustratingly delectable Orbilio can't help - he's been placed under strict house arrest after a skeleton was found walled up in the house that's been in his family for three generations. With the Games of Apollo due to start in two days (a series of festivals, frolics, feasting and tomfoolery), Claudia has saddled herself with the job of playing tag with the kidnapper. Meanwhile, mysterious Egyptian cult Brothers of Horus is growing in popularity with Roman citizens. The only problem is, several of its young female members are beginning to experience strange disturbances...