To the casual observer, Battista della Paglia is an avid
art collector, or perhaps a nimble thief. In reality, the
cunning Italian is an agent for François, the King of
France, for whom he procures the greatest masterpieces of
the day by any means necessary. Embroiled in a power
struggle with Charles V, the King of Spain, François
resolves to rule Europe's burgeoning cultural world. When
he sets his sights on a mysterious sculpture, Battista's
search for the elusive objet d'art leads him to a
captivating woman on a mission of her own. . .
Having spent her life under the controlling eye of her
protector, the Marquess of Mantua, Aurelia longs for
freedom. And she finds it in Battista. Together, they
embark on a journey to find the clues that will lead him
to the sculpture-- a venture so perilous it might have
spilled from the pen of Dante himself. From the smoldering
depths of Rome to a castle in the sky, the harrowing quest
draws them inextricably together. But Aurelia guards a
dark secret that could tear them apart--and change the
course of history. . .
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