Le Scorpion Series by Stephen Desberg, Enrico Marini

Rome the beautiful is dying, the symbol of civilization falling, the empire burning. Hidden from massacres and looting, a strange meeting is held by nine families who share the Roman Empire. To retain their power, they decide to support a new religion—Christianity—as well as its representative, the pope. But who are these 9 mysterious families?Later, much later, it’s the Renaissance. Christianity prospers... moreRome the beautiful is dying, the symbol of civilization falling, the empire burning. Hidden from massacres and looting, a strange meeting is held by nine families who share the Roman Empire. To retain their power, they decide to support a new religion—Christianity—as well as its representative, the pope. But who are these 9 mysterious families?Later, much later, it’s the Renaissance. Christianity prospers. A brigand called “the Scorpion” makes a living by unearthing relics in the depths of the Roman catacombs, which he sells at high prices to princes and bishops. Trebaldi, a powerful cardinal, takes an interest in this Scorpion, who is either a creature of the devil... or a witness to a cursed era who must disappear …This two-volume book includes “The Pope’s Secret ” less

The Scorpion, whose mother Cardinal Trebaldi burnt at the stake for loving a man of the cloth, discovers that his father murdered Pope himself. When Trebaldi addresses a huge crowd at the end of the mourning period, the Scorpion is there to tell the truth about how the people's beloved Pope died. Trebaldi claims that the sacred cross of St. Peter miraculously appeared in his castle. The Scorpion must find the real cross if he is to prove Trebaldi's treachery... moreThe Scorpion, whose mother Cardinal Trebaldi burnt at the stake for loving a man of the cloth, discovers that his father murdered Pope himself. When Trebaldi addresses a huge crowd at the end of the mourning period, the Scorpion is there to tell the truth about how the people's beloved Pope died. Trebaldi claims that the sacred cross of St. Peter miraculously appeared in his castle. The Scorpion must find the real cross if he is to prove Trebaldi's treachery.This volume contains chapters 4 and 5 from the original series. less

Betrayed by beautiful Ansea Latal, the Scorpion has been captured by the Turks. But he cannot tarry: Rochnan and his monks are close on his tail, Ansea is on her way to Cappadocia to find the cross of Saint Peter, and, back in Rome, Trebaldi is preparing his reign of terror. The Scorpion will have to reach Karabas before the agents of the Nine Families and discover the truth hidden deep in the Holy Valley.

On the run from Vatican agents and Ottoman authorities, the Scorpion is forced into uneasy alliances to continue his quest. Riding towards the Holy Land, the motley band begins to unravel the secrets of the Templars. But as loyalties shift, a confrontation looms, and in the shadow of an inverted cross, a forgotten truth will resurface that could destroy Trebaldi's power.

Le Scorpion est de retour ! Au grand désarroi de Trebaldi, le pape sanguinaire qui ne rêve que d'une seule chose : le tuer. Une nouvelle bataille a donc commencé : un véritable combat à mort s'est engagé entre ces deux hommes. L'un cherchant à connaître la vérité, l'autre faisant tout pour la dissimuler... Un duel passionnant servi par une intrigue diablement efficace !

One by one, the Pope’s warrior monks fall to the Scorpion’s blade or desert their master. Feeling his enemy circling ever closer, Trebaldi grows desperate and hires Rome’s best paid assassins to go after him—and whomever else stands in his way. As the women in his life choose their destinies, an old enemy reappears to plague the Scorpion... or perhaps to bring him the truth at last, hidden behind his mask.

The mysterious scarred man who was dogging the Scorpion’s footsteps took him away from his confrontation with Trebaldi, promising to take him to his father. Forced to follow but eager to know at last, Armando doesn’t resist. Meanwhile, the Pope resorts to desperate measures to make up his monks’ losses. Old enemies, new ones… Conspiracies and lies… Fifteen centuries of conflicts and plots come to a head as the truth is revealed at last, shattering all certainties and leaving many dead…