Young Theras, born an Athenian with all the rights, privileges, and freedoms this entails, is taken to Sparta by his uncle when his father is lost at war. He is forced to live as a Spartan, a brutal life with no pity for those who are not perfect physically and totally obedient to Spartan control.
After several brutal incidents, he escapes with another boy and heads for Athens. After a hard and dangerous journey, and at the end of his strength, he encounters Herodotus who takes both boys to Athens, where Theras is united with his family and their property restored.
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Theras was a young boy of Athens, who led an idyllic life as he began school at age seven. Several years later, under dire circumstances, Theras was left with no other choice than to leave his beloved Athens and live under the protection of a distant relative in the rival city of Sparta.
While lodging in the Spartan barracks, Theras honed his athletic and military skills alongside the other boys. But after seeing the Spartans' callous disregard for human life, he made plans to leave with his new friend Abas, a Perioikoi shepherd boy.
Together they fought their way toward Athens, across many dangerous miles of rugged Greek terrain, constantly on the run from Spartan soldiers and those who would sell them into slavery.
—from the back cover
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