In the far reaches of the Roman Empire, there are three certainties in life for Doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso: death, taxes, and angry barbarians. Ruso is back in Britannia with his new wife, Tilla, and a trunk full of wedding crockery. His old friend and colleague Valens has promised to help him find work, but it isn't what he had in mind. While Tilla longs for somewhere to unpack the crockery, Ruso is tasked with hunting down a missing tax man.