Blood of the Prophet (The Fourth Element Book 2)

The Prophet Zarathustra has been called many things. Now he spends his time drawing pictures of weird-looking goats. That’s what happens when you’ve been stuck in a prison cell for two hundred years. But the man who might be mad, and is definitely supposed to be dead, has suddenly become very valuable again.

It’s only been a few weeks since Nazafareen escaped the King’s dungeons with her daēva, Darius. She hoped never to set foot in the empire again, but the search for the Prophet has led them to the ancient city of Karnopolis. They have to find him before Alexander of Macydon burns Persepolae, and Darius’s mother with it. But they’re not the only ones looking.

The necromancer Balthazar has his own plans for the Prophet, and so does the sinister spymaster of the Numerators. As Nazafareen is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, her newfound powers take a decidedly dark turn. Only the Prophet understands the secret of her gift, but the price of that knowledge may turn out to be more than Nazafareen is willing to pay.

Praise for Blood of the Prophet

“The stakes have risen in this sequel, but personal connections are still the heart of the story, from Darius’ relationship with his mother to the tragic tale of spurned lovers that set dark events in motion ages ago. Ironically, although the events in this book are more epic than those in the previous one, the personal moments shine through more clearly, perhaps because the links between these world-shaking occurrences and the individual grudges that started them are brought more into the light. It’s always refreshing to enjoy a story where well-drawn characters are so central to the events of the plot rather than feeling tacked on.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A crazy, intense ride of a story…Ross masterfully pens a fantastical series with a flawed but brave heroine and a ragtag group of heroes that sometimes skirt the line, but always end up finding the right avenue.” —Book Reader Chronicles, 5 of 5 stars

“I cannot recommend this series enough! It really has it all: action, magic, mythology, romance, friendship….JUST READ IT! I promise you that you won’t regret it.” —Rattle the Stars

“Reading Blood of the Prophet further established Kat Ross as one of the authors I will automatically buy. Her alternate ancient history is lushly created and riveting, with enough of the truth wrapped around the fantasy to make it feel familiar. —Bibliobibuliya, 5 of 5 stars

“A stellar follow up to the first in the series…Nazafareen and Darius completely stole my heart in this book, and the ending just left me breathless for more.” —Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

“Blood of the Prophet is an awe-inspiring achievement from a writer adept at writing a page-turner that is undeniably also heartfelt. Kat Ross will recruit admirers with each new book, as she has with me.” —FLYLef YA blog

“Some of the names and places will be familiar to readers who know anything about the Persian empire, but everything has been changed and twisted into something different and exciting and completely of Kat’s own making. Her beautiful prose just adds to the overall effect and makes for an incredible book that does not suffer from the typical sophomore slump. I can’t wait to read the final book in this part of the trilogy! 5/5 would definitely recommend.” —The AP Book Club

“Kat Ross is back with a very addictive sequel in the form of Blood of the Prophet…Fast-paced, exciting and endlessly well written.” —The Rest Is Still Unwritten