The war has begun. King Odo and his men are forced into an uneasy alliance with those they never expected to trust. As loyalties are tested and the lines between good and evil blur, they must find a way to save Kowal, the last Dragon, and restore the only power that ever balanced the worlds.
The Seals of Power have been bestowed upon the outlaws in a desperate ruse to survive. But to win, this ragtag found family must outwit their enemies with the ultimate bluff.
“I am the keeper of the ruins, the idiot prince, now king. What will my people say when they see I have returned with but an army of eight? That I lead them to a grave?”
“’Tis nine including the wolf, Your Grace.”
“It is not known who will rise as the victor in this war, but those who live will have nothing to rule. Throw me a reason to protect what feels like a myth.”
Two Seltan guards stepped aside as the doors burst open, forcing the men stationed inside to scramble out of the way. The old Judgemaster flinched.
Traveler Vica strode into the chamber, ignoring him and turning toward the assembled ministers.
“Well? What do the cunts say?” she demanded.
Chairs scraped against the floor as First Minister Fims and the Judgemaster rose.
“When I ponder the worlds and the many races that have survived, I discover that each of these multitudes lies within us. Thus, when we kill for hate, we kill ourselves.”
“I will be sticking to what I do best, for my king, and now for Gelendara.”
“What is it that you feel you do best for me, Rhon?” asked the king.
“Kill.”
“Old wine, old women, old me,” laughed Fisher.
“You find that humorous?”
“Not a chance, old friend.”
Vica grinned, leaning back, feeling the small of her back ache. “Indeed.”
Draglar’s heart quickened—he felt his scars rip open around his body. For a long moment, he stared at another charging beast, and he did not move. It snarled and lifted its head, bellowing the horrid screams. Make no mistakes. Siberal’s banners will remain. Forsake this treaty and know within thy bowls, Siberal will declare war on Selta with note of her crimes of treason.
Honara’s black wings and black armor mirrored her heart. She watched the Shadow approach and pulled a horn from her belt, blowing it. Warriors emerged from the forest, and the thought of blood excited her, until…
Where good and evil become one…
From a master medievalist comes an epic fantasy and deeply human story of an outlaw king who sought equality. The greatest dream yet to be accomplished begins when King Odo erects a tower to build that legacy. But it ends in savage violence when armies are deployed against him—and deadly secrets now crawl at his feet.
From the frozen peaks of the ancient Seven Snow Realms to the sprawling expanses of the Great Lands below, two worlds stand on the brink of war.
For generations, the elite Snows have wielded the fading ancestral power of Nohar to dominate the lower Tribals. But Nohar is dying, secrets are rising, and a desperate race to claim long-lost artifacts threatens to consume them all.
Driven by political intrigue and a dangerous quest for resurgent power, this gripping noble dark fantasy asks one question: Will the Tribals finally rise and conquer the Great Snows?
