AD 191. An ancient grove, broken promises, a lost keepsake. Rich Lucretia is on the way to the town of Durnovaria. The last time she saw it she'd just rejected an arranged teenage marriage, but now she's back to claim an inheritance, taking the local wise-woman Tryssa as a companion. Unknown to anyone, two hapless grave-robbers have been seeking ancient treasures in a stone circle nearby, without any idea that what they've found will open up old wounds from a more recent past. With Lucretia's family busy arguing about money, any possibility that an old ring bought in the forum might be important is pushed aside until Lucretia's cousin is poisoned and the local magistrate Amicus starts to raise questions. As the past starts to catch up with the present, Tryssa must help Amicus discover who would kill rather than reveal long-buried truths... and what those truths actually are.