Dreibrand Veta has killed for his country. At the frontlines of imperial expansion, he seeks to rebuild the fortune of his noble family. In his daring travels he encounters the rys, a race far more powerful than the human empire that bred him. Dreibrand cannot defy the rys Queen Onja nor defend his companion, Miranda, and her children from the wicked tyrant Queen.
Desperate for help, Dreibrand and Miranda join Shan, a rys with emerging powers who plans to challenge Onja. In Shan’s pursuit of the rys throne, he exerts his magical powers, gathers his allies, and incites rebellion among Onja’s human subjects.
Great wealth and power will reward the kings, warriors, and spies that align themselves with the rys pretender, but defeat could mean worse than death. Onja can imprison souls and her genocidal rage is legendary. Everything is at risk for Shan’s union of renegades.
Excerpt from The Goddess Queen - Glimpse the ambitions of men that go beyond Shan’s goals of overthrowing Onja.
Chapter 40. Enemies Seen and Unseen - Spies report that the tribes loyal to Onja will mount massive attacks against the Temu and Shan.
Chapter 39. Home and Family - Dreibrand finds out about the natural consequences of his lovemaking with Miranda.
Chapter 38. Dreibrand Meets the Overlord - After barely surviving a duel with the Overlord, Dreibrand learns that some of his men have been taken prisoner by the Kezanada.
Chapter 37. Bargaining for Revenge - Irritated by Dreibrand’s unexpected victory over them, Pelafan and Sutah tell the Kezanada Overlord where Dreibrand is hiding with his warriors.
Chapter 36. Pelafan and Sutah - Two thieving rys make trouble for Dreibrand.
Chapter 35. Watchers in the Pass - Proclaimed the leader of Shan’s volunteers, Dreibrand goes on a mission in the mountains.
Chapter 34. The Lesson - Lord Kwan Chenomet attempts with his men to escape Onja.
Chapter 33. The Armory Unsealed - Onja realizes that she must arm her agents with enchanted weapons that have long been hidden from men.
Chapter 32. Volunteers - Moved by Miranda’s plight and their own ambitions, independent warriors from various tribes volunteer to serve Shan.
Chapter 31. The Third Assassin - Shan flaunts his power to the craven men who remain loyal to Onja.
Chapter 30. The Confederate Council - Shan and Taischek seek to persuade other tribes to renounce Onja as their Goddess and join the rebellion.
Chapter 29. The Conqueror Learns to Fear - The Lord Kwan Chenomet reluctantly accepts that he and his soldiers are trapped in the service of Onja.
Chapter 28. Intoxicating Possibilities - Shan uses his magic to kill again and fights the temptation to sip of the evil sweetness of his power.
Chapter 27. A Chance to Recant - The priests of Onja’s religion are given the choice between renouncing her and facing execution.
Chapter 26. Luxury and Strategy - Dreibrand returns from making war with Shan and Taischek and takes Miranda to the wondrous capital city of Dengar Nor.
Chapter 25. The Kezanada - Still recuperating from being tortured by Onja, Miranda sees firsthand the dreaded outlaws known as the Kezanada.
Chapter 24. The Bounty - Onja is frustrated by her inability to strike Shan with her magic from a distance and sends her notorious Kezanada to hunt him.
Chapter 23. Into the Temple of the Goddess - With Shan’s help, the Temu raid a large town loyal to Onja.
Chapter 22. A Rys Rides to Battle - Shan uses his power to kill for the first time.