Excerpt of Treasures in Time (Copyright by John S. Knox, 2025):

“They’ll be back, in force,” Alexandru confessed, still watching the soldiers ride away. “Romans never retreat. They only plow forward.”

Madalina wiggled under his arm and said, “Should we be afraid?”

Alexandru hugged her lovingly. “Not yet, but I need to meet with good King Decebalus tomorrow and debrief him. Rome is sending in the First Legion.”

“The First Legion . . . When?” Madalina asked. “Soon?”

“Soon enough, too soon, so all Dacia needs to be prepared. I hope Boian and Vlad are up for it. The first Legion is titanic.”

“Why can’t Rome just leave us alone? What do we have that they want? Why does the general hate us so?” she lamented.

Alexandru stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and said, “It’s not Fuscus; he’s just faithfully following orders. It is Emperor Trajan. The man is insane with avarice. His soul and his belly are bottomless. Never full, he must devour all.”

“Then, what can we do, Alexandru?” she asked, burying her face in his chest.

“Pray and fight for our lives against the darkness. We’ve not many other choices, love.”

Alexandru felt her shiver and pulled her close, closing his eyes and trying to forget, just for a moment, about the storm rushing to collide with them, unavoidably.