This novel by M. C. Scott is the sequel to "Rome ~ The Emperor's Spy". It is AD 66; Pantera
continues to work for Nero and has travelled to Judaea in the hopes of
stopping Saulos who is working to destroy the Roman Empire. Pantera is
aided by Mergus, a former legionnaire. They travel in disguise. Saulos
has a woman Berber, Iksahra, on his side; she has mythical powers over
animals, hunts with falcons and keeps a cheetah at her side. Pantera
also has Hypatia, an Oracle, on his side.
Saulos travels to
Caesarea and becomes a powerful adviser to the king. He has help from
his crew. He is followed by Hypatia in her guise as the Oracle. She
befriends Berenice, the queen. Pantera and his centurion friend,
Mergus, arrive in disguise. Riots break out in the city, so the king
and his family flee to Jerusalem. Pantera and Mergus need to fight
their way out in order to follow.
In Jerusalem Saulos puts his
plan into play, to take over the city for his own purposes. Hypatia
discovers his plans aided by Berenice's niece Kleopatra and passes them
on to Pantera. Unfortunately Pantera's plans to prevent Saulos' actions
are exposed by a spy in his camp and he is taken. He is badly beaten
by Saulos before Hypatia and Iksahra, who has changed allegiance, can
free him.
Although Saulos has control of Jerusalem, Pantera vows
to take Masada and fight on, and only he knows the secret way to scale
the cliffs of Masada. Will Pantera and his friends be able to save
Jerusalem?
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