slow burn

In the terraformed hills of Iphigenia, where science coexists with ancient traditions, heiress Alcmene Ulanka grapples with a world in flux. As her faithful nursemaid gains freedom after decades of indentured service, Alcmene finds unexpected solace in a new maidservant, the young artist Phala.
On her sprawling estates, Alcmene navigates a privileged position and conflicting emotions, a journey intertwining with Phala’s artistic spirit and quest for autonomy in a land of power, danger, and beauty.
From marble shrines to sun-drenched olive groves, from the struggles of the indentured to brutal injustice, they explore bonds that constrain and connect. As Alcmene and Phala’s relationship evolves, they question the nature of liberty, duty, and love.
In a vividly realized future world where age-old philosophies still reign, the coming of age of one young woman, Alcmene, could either herald an era of change or reinforce the chains that bind them all.