From the servant halls of Cleopatra's Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled. Alexandria, Egypt 39 BCOrphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra's palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she's had to family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.Trapped among the scheming women of Herod's political family—his sister, his wife, and their mothers—and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must...

The Untold Story of King Nebuchadnezzar's Daughter. For seven years the Babylonian princess Tiamat has waited for the mad king Nebuchadnezzar to return to his family and to his kingdom. Driven from his throne to live as a beast, he prowls his luxurious Hanging Gardens, secreted away from the world.Since her treaty marriage at a young age, Tia has lived an indulgent palace life. But when her husband dies and a nobleman is found murdered in the palace, Tia must discover who is responsible for the macabre death, even if her own newfound freedom is threatened.As the queen plans to wed Tia to yet another prince, the powerful mage Shadir plots to expose the family's secret and set his own man on the throne. Tia enlists the help of a reluctant Jewish captive, her late husband's brother Pedaiah, who challenges her notions of the gods even as he opens her heart to both truth and love. In a time when few gave their hearts to Yahweh, one woman must decide if she is...

Previously released as Guardian of the Flame. In the Alexandrian Library, Roman soldiers scatter papyri over the floor like kindling, intent on destruction. Meanwhile, Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, plots the seduction of the world's most powerful political leader. Sophia rarely leaves the lighthouse, preferring her maps, charts, and astronomy tables. But when her former student, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, reappears from exile, Sophia finds herself tangled in a web of political and romantic intrigue that threatens not only Cleopatra's legacy, but the future of Egypt itself. Keeper of the Flame grants readers entry to the Alexandrian Library, the legendary lighthouse, and the palace rooms where Cleopatra and Caesar met for the first time. More than just a historical novel, it explores the complex and powerful role of women in the clash of two intellectually advanced, if violent, ancient societies.

"Higley amazes us with another of her action-packed feats of storytelling." —RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 Stars, TOP PICK!In an ancient city carved from stone, one desperate young woman searches for peace—in the calm before the deadly clash of empires. In 106 AD, a single mother can be certain of one thing—destitution. So Cassia and her six-year-old son flee to Petra, her late husband's birth city, in hopes of finding refuge in the loving arms of family.But the great stone city is not what Cassia imagined. And a secret about her husband reveals her son's true bloodline, making the boy the target of a royal conspiracy. In her darkest hours, Cassia finds herself surrounded by followers of the Way, a subversive new religious group whose disciples are frequently sentenced to arenas with starved lions and blood-soaked sand. Why would this sect seek out more danger by helping her? And what kind...

AsVesuvius churns, a slave girl-turned-gladiator joins forces with an unlikelysource to seek justice.In the coastal town of Pompeii, a newgladiator prepares to fight. But this gladiator hides a deadly secret: she's arunaway Jewish slave girl named Ariella, disguised as a young boy. A savvy fighter,Ariella determines to triumph in the arena, knowing her life will be forfeitshould anyone uncover the truth.Cato, a wealthy politician, moved toPompeii after tiring of the corruption in Rome. But he soon learns that Pompeiiis just as corrupt, and if he doesn't play the game, his family could pay theprice. Determined to bring about justicefor the citizens of Pompeii, Cato searches for allies. But what he discoversinstead is a confounding group of Christians . . . and a young female gladiatorwhose fame is growing daily.Political unrest reaches a boilingpoint as Christians are jailed and executed, and the mountain in the distancethreatens to destroy the...