The Ancient Ocean Blues
Gr 7–9—In this story set in ancient Rome, Marcus is asked to stop a young, idealistic soldier named Spurinna from reaching Pompey, who is at sea fighting pirates. Cicero has proposed that Spurinna and Pompey join forces and halt Caesar's rise to power. Marcus reluctantly goes, and finds himself stuck on a ship with Paulla, whom he dislikes even though his parents expect him to marry her, and she is interested in Spurinna. After a violent storm, their vessel is shipwrecked and the two, along with...
