Mark of the Thief

When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods - magic some Romans would kill for.

Nic may have escaped enslavement in the mines outside of Rome, but his troubles are far from over. The Praetor War - the battle to destroy Rome from within - is in full force, and Nic is caught in the crossfire. The secretive Praetors are determined to unlock a powerful amulet - one sure to bring the empire to its knees. Worse, the Praetors believe Nic holds the key to finding this amulet, and they will stop at nothing to steal it, even if that means harming the people Nic holds most dear.

Trouble has a way of seeking out Nicolas Calva, and it's not likely to leave him alone anytime soon. With Caesar's magic bulla, the Malice of Mars, and the possibility of a Jupiter Stone in play, all the powers of Rome are circling Nic. He'll have to maneuver his way through scheming government officials and reawakened magical beasts to save the Empire.