Mark of the Thief

Jennifer A. Nielsen

     This book is a cross between historical fiction and fantasy.  Set in ancient Rome, Nic is a slave working in the mines.  He refuses to go into a hole where Julius Caesar's treasure is hidden because one man sent before him died, and the other went crazy.  He runs away from his master, Sal, and almost escapes.  While hiding in the shadows, he hears General Radulf plotting treachery against Rome.  He is seen in the shadows by a slave about to take his place, so he soon finds himself entering Caesar's cave in search of a bulla.  He encounters a griffin, which he names Caela.  She fights him until he puts on the bulla, then rides on her back out of the cave to a strawberry field, where the guards find them sleeping.  Senator Valerius sees the wound Caela gave him on his shoulder and tells him it is a special mark, which he later learns is called the Divine Star.  They are captured, and brought before Sal.  Due to the begging of his sister, Livia, and a promise to marry Sal, he sells them to the venatio rather than killing them.  He is guarded by a girl, Aurelia.

     At the venatio, he is eventually tied to a horse, against the wishes of his owner Felix, and sent into the arena.  His magic accidentally causes an earthquake as he fights for his life, and Caela is wounded.  She flies away with him, finally dropping and leaving him when he accidentally lets her have the gold nugget the Romans had used to get her in her cage.

     After running from the Romans in the sewer, he is found and nursed back to health by Aurelia, only to be put in chains by her and the exposed children she cares for.  She intends to take him to Senator Horatio, one of the many people offering a reward for Nic.  Radulf attacks, and through Nic's powers they escape to Senator Valerius and his son Crispus.  Nic is accidentally chased by the dogs into a fountain in the moonlight, which leads the bulla to make the room as bright as daylight.  He then knows that Diana is fueling the bulla.  He goes to rescue Caela from the baths on the Appian Way, where he has a showdown with Radulf.  Radulf simply wants to see what he is capable of, and lets him escape with his life.

     Eventually, Nic faces Radulf in the arena.  Valerius ceases power by allowing Radulf to kill Horatio and blaming both Nic and Radulf.  Nic proves his innocence by having Aurelia shoot an arrow toward him, then redirecting it to right in front of Valerius's nose.  When the Praetors appear, Radulf disappears.