Engrossing and moving, this sequel about the second part of Theodora’s life as empress of Byzantium opens with intrigue as one of Justinian’s old enemies, Cappodocian John, is revealed as a threat to the throne. Theodora’s unremitting feeling of guilt for a massacre she did not foresee, motivates her faith and many of her actions. And Justinian’s strange reference to the triple-headed serpent also lingers in her mind, casting a shadow… But Theodora once again emerges as a woman of strength and c...