The book Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen is a book about Nic who is a slave in the Roman era. He was forced to go down into a cavern that contains the treasures of Julius Caesar. The main goal is to gain Caesar’s amulet given to him by the gods themselves. This amulet gives the user magic and the gift of a griffin. This magic is what makes him the target of many and almost gets him killed.

Soon after Nic obtained the amulet, he was sold and separated from the mines and his sister. His new owner then puts into the battle arena as a starter gladiator. Before any big matches begin he is to be humiliated and defeated against the biggest and strongest gladiator there is. With the help of the amulet, Nic defeats the gladiator and destroys the arena and rides his Griffen out.

Once out he is spotted by someone and then dragged to go and fight his grandfather where he defeated and then forced to make an alliance to him and the army his grandfather is under to fight the war with them. Then the war begins in book two.