Those Dark Omens

Alma’s journey into the bowels of the enchanted, ailing city forces her to confront herself and her power—one that feels more like a curse than a gift.

Naples, 1656. As the city revels in the carnival, the plague looms like a dark omen. Amid the crowd, Alma de Ventisca catches sight of a young man whose charm strikes her like a bolt of lightning. She does not yet know that he is Esteban de Barrionuevo, the son of the ruthless regent of the Vicaria—and that their paths are fated to intertwine forever. A student of the famed painter Artemisia, Alma possesses a dangerous secret talent: she can draw the future and reveal ominous premonitions. When the disease sweeps through the city, wiping out much of the population, she finds herself utterly alone. It is an unsettling monaciello, Suricio, who helps her flee in search of safety, leading her into the underground tunnels of Naples, where she discovers the origin of Evil and a possible remedy tied to the Brotherhood of Secrets, keepers of Virgil’s ancient knowledge.

• A tale of a magical destiny steeped in love and courage.
• Where love and mystery meet art and history.