Dark Betrayal

Britain, February 392 AD.

Flavius Vitulasius is at his father’s villa in Ad Trivonam when he receives a letter from his boss, Aulus, informing him of his latest mission.

Flavius is a former soldier who is now a Magistriani. He works with his friend Siward.

The Roman Empire is on the brink of civil war. The Western Roman Emperor Valentinian has died in mysterious circumstance following a long running dispute with the commanding general of his army, Arbogastes, a Frank.

It is feared that Arbogastes has a candidate he will install on the Western throne as his puppet.

The Eastern Emperor Theodosius, spared the lives of the usurper Magnus Maximus’ wife Elen and their two children when he was overthrown.

Emperor Theodosius wants Flavius and Siward to find Elen. She might know what happened to the Silver Host, a treasure believed to have been hidden by Magnus and his men.

The war chest is depleted, and Theodosius needs the money to finance an army. He fears that the Empire will once more be plunged into civil war.

Joined by their friend Lucias, their mission will take them throughout Britain and Segontium to Hibernia in search of the Silver Host.

Yet an old enemy always seems one step ahead of them: the Saxon woman, Gunhilde, who is working for Arbogastes’ chief agent in Britain.

In Hibernia Flavius and his friends must infiltrate a dangerous court to free a man with vital information. However, their actions in Hibernia will have an irrevocable effect on the Hibernian monarchy.

Returning to Britain, Flavius and Siward finally learn the truth about the Silver Host, but a more dangerous situation has now arisen.

The political situation is now on a knife edge.

Flavius, Siward and Lucius soon find out that those who they once thought of as friends will now betray them. A woman who was abandoned and abused as a child, and a group of women loyal to the Goddess, are now their biggest threat.

Rich with historical detail and intrigue, Dark Betrayal is an action adventure and a must for anyone interested in the time when Rome’s rule was threatened by political intrigue and barbarian uprisings.

Praise for Dark Betrayal

‘Rich with historical detail’ – Richard Foreman

Brian Kitchen lives in Burton upon Trent, England and enjoys walking in the countryside, photography, reading, writing, visiting museums and historic sites & buildings and supporting Burton Albion. He first became interested in the history of Roman Britain as a child and loved the Eagle of the Ninth trilogy of novels by Rosemary Sutcliff. The first of the Flavius Vitulasius novels, Divided Empire wass his first published novel.