In an Ancient Rome that never was, Empress Beatriz is surrounded by loyal subjects and the emperor, who cherishes her above all else. Due to one man's lust and greed, she must fight, alone, for her dignity-and her life.

The primeval tale of the valiant empress has been adapted from Cantiga 5 of the thirteenth-century Spanish Cantigas de Santa Maria. Though this volume stands alone, it is also a companion to the ten short stories in Our Lady's Troubadour (Encircle Publications, 2021).

Between fantasy and history, this thrilling novella takes us on an imaginary tour of the ancient Mediterranean and inspires us to rely on our own best nature.

"Beatriz stood with her hands out and faced the wind, daring it to knock her into the water. A scream had been building inside her for years, since the moment Felix had laid his hands on her... Now that every person she'd ever cared for, every possibility for peace she'd ever come upon, and every hope she'd ever held to had been mercilessly taken from her, the scream pressed on her heart and clawed at her throat.

"She loosed it to the winds. No one heard it but St. Mary." -from Chapter VI