Mark Of The Thief Sparknotes

Mark of the Thief is a book written by Jennifer A. Nielsen. This book is the first in the “Mark of the Thief” trilogy and is set in ancient Rome around the year 400 CE. The story itself takes place primarily in the city of Rome and the mines south of Rome where the story begins. The story’s protagonist is Nicolas Calva, a rebellious Roman slave boy. Nic becomes cursed with the powers of Julius Caesar’s magical bulla and is able to use the bulla to perform amazing feats of strength and control a griffin. Nic is guided through Rome and helped by Aurelia, a girl who was abandoned as a baby and takes residence in the sewers beneath Rome. She works as a guard-for-hire and is considered surprisingly strong for a girl. With her help, Nic attempts

The griffin is taken away and tied up to be brought to Rome. Nic is inspected by those who find him and they decide to bring him back to Sal before Senator Valerius and his son Crispus arrive in an attempt to protect the boy. They are able to protect Nic by having him and the griffin sold to a name in Rome named Felix where they are brought. They arrive in Rome and meet Felix and a girl he hired to watch over Nic and the griffin named Aurelia. She is initially hostile and cold towards Nic. While talking, Felix discovers a mark on Nic’s back known as the Divine Star and questions Nic about it, knowing very well about the bulla Nic is hiding. Felix later takes Nic to his home and demands Nic give him the

To escape he rides Caela away until she drops him due to her injuries from parts of the crumbling venatio falling onto her. On the way down in an attempt to protect a piece of gold which the griffin tries to keep from damaging, Caela scratches Nic on the arm creating a large wound. Nic lands near a group of guards which had followed the griffin and he escapes into the sewers until the guards can no longer chase him. After hours of walking in the sewers and numerous falls into the filthy water, the scratch becomes severely infected and he faints. Aurelia finds him collapsed in the sewers where she lives and takes Nic to her home in a side building below the city with many small orphans. Soon after Nic wakes up from fainting, Radulf and some of his men discover them and try to get them to surrender by causing a flood in the room they are located in. Nic and Aurelia are able to create a hole in the ceiling and use a ladder to get everyone out of the room before it completely floods. They climb into an olive patch where they take a break and eat some of the olives growing on the