Lyla's life is planned. In a few months, she'll be leaving her stifling small village and the vicious rumors that have marked her as unsuitable to be anyone's wife, for the endless opportunities of the large port city of Balast. There she will finish her training as a magical healer, join an adventuring team, and see the world beyond the mountainous valleys of the High Passes that she's lived in her whole life.

Then a tragedy strikes.

Lyla doesn't know the secret that the soldier who saved her life is keeping from her. Worse yet, she doesn't know that he accidentally bound himself to her when he saved her life and that without her he will slowly lose his mind. What she does know is that her parents, the village elders, and even her best friend, are falling all over themselves to marry her off to this nearly perfect stranger with far too many muscles for her to take him seriously.

Can she escape this unexpected marriage that is messing up her plans for greatness? Will she even want to? Or will this be exactly the kind of adventure she was hoping for all along?





Do you love reading about the Mages of the Empire of Man?  Try my book "Lines of Inheritance" The first of a series about the conflict between the Empire of Man, The Matriarchy, And The Priestess Isles.

Or check out my web series "Inheritance" and read about the political intrigue within The Matriarchy and the uneasy truce they have with the Orc Horde.

Empire of Man - Book 1: The First Empress

The crowd had been too much for her. All the stress of the previous few days and the press of all these people, Lyla had fainted. At least that’s what Lan had originally thought as his charge collapsed in his arms. But he was soon proven wrong as the old woman that acted as the village healer began sharply ordering others around and her parents began frantically searching Lyla’s pockets for a medicine bag that Lan had never seen. 


“Lyla” The prince gasped in surprise as he felt Lyla fading. “What’s wrong?” 


Through his connection with the patient, Lan sensed her sudden illness. His mind panicked as the life of the woman he adored began slipping away. He needed to heal her. He needed to…why was no one moving away or rendering assistance? 


There was a person in distress here. She needed to be laid down so that she could be examined and cared for. Yet the villagers just ignored Lyla’s distress and continued on in their excited conversations as if nothing was happening. 


Chapter 16 - There’s Something Wrong With This Village