Mark of the Gladiator

A Warriors of Rome Story After an inconvenient display of mercy in the arena, the gladiator Anazâr is pulled from the sands and contracted to nobleman Lucius Marianus to train his new stable of female gladiators. His new charges are demoralized and untested, and they bear the marks of slavery and abuse. Anazâr has a scant four months to prepare them for the arena, and his new master demands perfection. Anazâr’s surprised by how eager he is to achieve it — far more eager than a man motivated by only self-preservation. Perhaps it’s because Marianus is truly handsome, dignified, honorable, and seemingly as attracted to Anazâr as Anazâr is to him. But the rivalry between Marianus and his brother, Felix, sparks a murder conspiracy, with Anazâr and his gladiatrices caught in the middle. One brother might offer salvation . . . but which? And in a world where life is worth less than the pleasures of the crowd or the whims of a master, can there be any room for love? As a gladiator, Anazâr's defenses are near impenetrable. But as a man, he learns to his cost that no armor or shield can truly protect his heart. * * * * * * * Word 71,200; page 279