Publication date: October 12th, 2021
Synopsis:
The Kingdom of Luka is controlled by the decrees of God-King Eliezer. Break one and become a twisted monster or serve forever, loyal to the crown. From the author of Frith Chronicles and Star Marque Rising, comes a new fantasy epic.
When God-King Eliezer utters a decree, it's the law of the land, no matter how subtle or outrageous. Those who break the decrees suffer the god-king's curse--their bodies twist into nightmarish monsters of devastation and hunger, forever a blight upon humanity.
The magic knows when a decree is violated, the moment it happens.
There are no exceptions. No loopholes. No escape.
Artemisia, a mysterious girl on the run from God-King Eliezer's Holy Guard, is cursed and doesn't know why. Fortunately, she has yet to change into a fell beast, but that isn't a comfort. She could transform at any moment, and the resulting monster would destroy everything she cares for.
Desperate and fearful, Artemisia finds herself captured by a group of monster hunters led by Rylion Nasos, a man of superhuman strength and skill. When Artemisia displays magic of her own--magic that threatens God-King Eliezer's rule--an agreement is made to confront the crown, despite the horrors it could unleash.
Cursed be the man who disobeys the god-king's direct command.
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Excerpt
When I awoke, it was to the glorious crackle of fire.
I loved the brilliant glow brought about by the flames. Fire had a special meaning to me. No force compared to the heat and radiance, and while fire could be a tool, no man could conquer it. Sure, it could be snuffed, but the blaze of the sun reminded us that it would never be beaten.
I stared at the stone hearth. The small flames licked at the black logs, a gentle glow brought about by the dance. The sofa I rested on creaked with my movements as I turned to get a better look. I sat up and examined my new blanket--a woven cloth of moons and stars, perhaps a child's aid to learning the night sky.
"You're awake."
I flinched and held the blanket close. I hadn't bothered to examine the rest of the room, and I cursed myself for such folly.
"It's all right. You're safe here."
Shaken and confused, I stared at the man standing by the far wall. He was tall and gaunt, but wiry. He had curly chestnut hair, but the curls were so small and tight, they clung close to his head. I would have guessed his age at eighteen, maybe nineteen, and he offered a smile. I pressed myself against the armrest of the sofa. He wasn't the man who had carried me off the streets. He sounded different.
"My name is Wulfric," he said, his voice boisterous.
He walked over to the sofa with excited energy in each step. My grip tightened on the blanket, my nails indenting my palms through the fabric. I offered him a glower and nothing more, my heart beating hard against my ribs.
Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction, with several best-selling novels under her belt. Before that, she taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second. When she's not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators.
