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

Lan trudged carefully through the dark night. Fog drifted through the village. A freezing fog that felt like little ice particles pelting his exposed face as he plodded with footfalls heavy with the weight of his anger. Someone had tried to kill Lyla. Someone had tried to kill Lyla twice. 


A savage snarl ripped through the ferocious sneer of rage on his lips. While the prince had been at Lyla’s side and could track her progress and recovery, he’d been able to focus on his concern. But now that she wasn’t immediately in his sight, the fact that he didn’t know how she would fare had him leaning into the less nurturing emotions that had been warring for his attention. 


“Hey, Lan. I don’t suppose you’d mind helping a fellow out and conjuring a light for those of us with terrible night visi-? Shit, ow. Again. Please.” Caleb had either twisted his ankle or stubbed his foot on a rock or some other obstacle. 


Chapter 21 – Of Course It Was Poison