Loved it! I can't believe that it was free. I would have paid good money to read this book. And I'm not a big fan of historical novels, but the setting was perfect. 
 It starts rather slowly, but this really allows the reader to get to know and understand the characters. Nygell is a difficult man to understand, but he makes it perfectly clear that he does not want the slave that has been gifted to him. The slave is an eromenos, trained since infancy to be used for sexual pleasures. Nygell has no interest in him. The relationship that develops between them is very special. 
 I hated for the story to end. I would love to read more about the two of them.