Theodora of Byzantium is a scandalous teenage actress and Constantinople's most sought-after courtesan. But she didn't choose that life. Her mother and sister were actresses, so in Byzantium's rigid and patriarchal society Theodora must be one, too. She vows that one day she'll free herself from the whims of men and the shame of flaunting her body for money.
Theodora's only route to personal freedom is to break society's rules and seduce men of wealth and power. The religious and political enemies she makes in the process, however, put the lives of Theodora and her sister, Comito, in danger.
When several scheming, ambitious men pursue Theodora to exploit her beauty for their personal gain, she can abandon her plans and choose safety. But if she does, the sisters will never escape a life of poverty and dependence. Alternately, Theodora can risk her life to earn their freedom.
Success seems within her grasp until a powerful politician brands Theodora a criminal, banishes her to slavery in the copper mines of Cyprus, and frames Comito for treason. To save herself and her sister, Theodora must escape the mines, journey home penniless and alone, and clear their names.