To Save a Life

Viggo Aulus Callias is a young legionnaire who is, in all truth, far from being the perfect Roman. He says what he means to everyone, and wishes for nothing but justice. When he and his brother, Flavius are invited to a part at the house of Tribune Laurus, Viggo foresees nothing more than three days of boredom and political speeches. But he makes the acquaintance of a young slave boy who, Hector, who has been cruelly beaten by the tribune. Viggo, having suffered at the hands of an abusive father, found he could not stand by and watch the boy's suffering continue, despite the consequences he knows will arise confronting the tribune. Soon the three days turn into a frantic count down for Viggo to figure out a way to save the life of a boy he is fast becoming to care for as a brother. But will he be able to after becoming enemies with the tribune's crafty nephew?

This backstory to Hazel West's upcoming novel "By Blood or By Bond" is a look into Viggo's character, and introduces the heroes and villains from the novel.