The epic series prequel to Romeo & Juliet continues. Two houses will clash. One patriarch will fall.The year is 1451. French newlyweds Armand & Ilaria de Capulet (recently announced leaders of their powerful faction in Lyon) were completing a marriage tour and arrived in the outskirts of Verona to finally greet his sister Aurelie and husband Sabatino Cortellani. But before arriving at their sprawling estate in the northern hills, taken completely by surprise, Armand and Ilaria clashed with the Cortellani's closest neighbor. His name is Onorato Montecchi (Romeo's uncle), a mercenary warlord known as the Black Wolf of Verona. Along with his fiery wife Esmeralda, both are known to all as the primo Don and prima Donna of Verona's most powerful faction.Before sunset on that first day, Onorato's brother (Romeo's father) arrived at the Cortellani estate to issue a challenge to Armand to meet Onorato in a winner-takes-all, duel to the death. With no chance to avoid it, the young French Chevalier has accepted the challenge, nominating to meet at sunrise the next day in Verona's ancient arena. Book 3 in our gripping series opens upon that fateful morning.Armand departs in the pre-dawn darkness with a grim entourage to meet his fate. It will be the first time he enters through the gates of Verona and the terms of his engagement seem clear. Once the combat begins, no quarter may be asked, none will be given. The grim appointment must leave just one of two alive. The premiere Sieur of Capulet will face the primo Don of Montecchi and the lives of all in both factions will be altered forever. Within just one chapter a result is revealed. Yet what follows the encounter unleashes a riot as bedlam greets chaos on the streets of Verona. The clash between the factions expands as screams for vengeance and cries for justice ring out through the citadel.
