as thou hast said They shall be thrown down

hard-won possession

a sinister creature that has lived buried deep in the hills

and to build our family’s fortune

The Splendour Before the Dark (Emperor Nero Series, Book 2) Cuban Americans--History as thou hast said TheyWith the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero Augustus commands the Roman Empire, ushering in an unprecedented era of artistic and cultural splendour. Although he has yet to produce an heir, his power is absolute. But in the tenth year of his reign, a terrifying prophecy comes to pass and a fire engulfs Rome, reducing entire swaths of the city to rubble. Rumours of Nero's complicity in the blaze start to sow unrest among the populace and