In the shadows of Rome's greatest spectacle, a young woman discovers friendship, belonging, and the fragile beginnings of love.Rome, 80 AD. Althea has always lived unseen. A slave scribe, she records the words of powerful men while silencing her own.But when she is sent to serve Marcus, the man charged with creating the Colosseum's inaugural Games, her life begins to change. Haunted by the loss of his family in Pompeii, Marcus teeters on the edge of despair. To save him, Althea must step beyond obedience and into courage.Amid the roar of the arena and the demands of an Emperor, Althea forms unexpected bonds: a sharp-tongued prostitute, a fallen Vestal Virgin, a runaway boy, and others cast aside by Rome. Together, they become more than survivors. They become family. And in Marcus' sadness, Althea begins to glimpse the tender possibility of love.From the Ashes is a sweeping story of resilience, found family, and one woman's journey to claim her freedom in a world built on power. Both action-packed and heart-stirring, it brings to life the people behind the Colosseum and the quiet strength that can rise from ruins.
