Books Tagged With where - general - castle

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Summary: Edmund is heir to the throne of Thalassa and a wielder of Water magic. Devoted to his kingdom and his duty to it, Edmund can do nothing but acquiesce to an arranged marriage with the queen of a neighboring kingdom. The marriage and the child it is required to produce will seal an alliance between Thalassa and Aither that is vital to Thalassa’s safety, and far more important than Edmund’s personal misgivings. Arden is the younger brother of Aither’s queen and a wielder of Air magic. Raised in the politics of the court to support his sister’s rule, he understands the alliance is important to Aither, even as he worries about his sister marrying someone she’s never met. When Edmund arrives in Aither to prepare for the wedding, Arden is tasked with helping him settle in at court. As they spend more time together, Edmund and Arden develop a close friendship, then stronger feelings, but with Edmund’s wedding approaching, they must hide their feelings, even from themselves. When someone tries to assassinate the queen, Edmund is blamed, and Arden rescues him before he can be executed for a crime he didn’t commit. To prevent a war between their kingdoms and protect them from a dangerous enemy, Edmund and Arden will have to discover who wants to pit Aither and Thalassa against each other and mend relations between the two kingdoms as they evade those searching for them—all while finding a way to be together.

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Summary: Can the Mistress of the Forge best the Mistress of the Night? Strength is forged in the moment when you dare to be vulnerable. Despite this inherent knowledge, Jacqueline Duval struggles with feelings of weakness and failure when a private celebration for her twin sister's marriage turns fraught with peril. Beset by vampires and insurrectionists and rogue monarchs, how is Jacqueline to keep her invited-and uninvited-guests safe, and the King of the French on the right side of the grave? "Steampunk meets royal history meets the fantastical as Angélique and her new husband arrive, admiring Jacqueline's incredible robotic creations and sharing in her concern about what seems to be a spate of vampire bites on young women in the area. Angélique is perhaps the best person to assist Jacqueline in her fight against the undead, as she left home because she became a werewolf. The novel is punchy and full of intriguing characters. Deal peppers the story with real figures, like the king and the authors Charles Baudelaire and Alexandre Dumas, who serve as a vivid historical presence in the Bellesfées universe. Jacqueline is a captivating hero whom readers will be struck by. , , The world presented is so unique and well-crafted by the author that it would be great to luxuriate in it a little longer. A compelling steampunk confection for readers who love the supernatural." ~ Kirkus Reviews

Word Count: Click here to reveal73,151 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Time travel. For mages, it violates their number one rule: what the Mother has written, let no one unwrite. The Mother writes the destinies of the creatures on the world of Karishian. If her writings were undone, it is feared that Creation itself could be undone. The dark mage Morgorth takes this rule to heart, but there are others who do not. Morgorth is about to claim a stone of power when it is stolen from him by a female mage he hasn't seen in decades. As they struggle for the stone, she activates it, and Morgorth is unwillingly plunged into another time and another place. It isn't long before he realizes what time he's found himself in and there are a few familiar faces. Most notable is a much younger version of Aishe. His mate. Living with a tribe who will be massacred, caring for a young lad who will become his mate, and fighting a battle against a mage who can travel from past to future at a whim—Morgorth's life has never been easy but now he must contend with the will of the Mother. Unable to change the future and the tragedies of Aishe's life, he must decide what his role in his mate's past will be, and ask himself one vital question: how does one defeat time?

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Summary: A land has fallen. An escape was made. It’s a victory, but at what price? Shaleigh has made a terrible mistake, one she may not ever be able to fix. Lost and in a strange land with anger and death all around her, she must navigate her way through treacherous lands on her quest for redemption. Along the way she’ll have to negotiate with the mercurial Queen of the Fae, survive the dangers of the Masked King’s realm, and seek out a terrifying fire dragon. With two powerful beings hot on her trail, Shaleigh has no choice but to keep moving, or else face the dangerous magic of the Madness that has already caused so much pain and heartache. With her sights on helping her friends and her heart longing for home, Shaleigh is determined, but will it be enough? Book 2 of the Stolen series

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Summary: Brute leads a lonely life in a world where magic is commonplace. He is seven and a half feet of ugly, and of disreputable descent. No one, including Brute, expects him to be more than a laborer. But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and when he is maimed while rescuing a prince, Brute’s life changes abruptly. He is summoned to serve at the palace in Tellomer as a guard for a single prisoner. It sounds easy but turns out to be the challenge of his life. Rumors say the prisoner, Gray Leynham, is a witch and a traitor. What is certain is that he has spent years in misery: blind, chained, and rendered nearly mute by an extreme stutter. And he dreams of people’s deaths—dreams that come true. As Brute becomes accustomed to palace life and gets to know Gray, he discovers his own worth, first as a friend and a man and then as a lover. But Brute also learns heroes sometimes face difficult choices and that doing what is right can bring danger of its own.

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Summary: Lord Morgorth is haunted by dreams of his father. Though Morgorth killed him, his father's presence and brutality won't completely die. But now he has more to worry about—in the form of the Council of Mages' inquiry into the duel between Morgorth and an elder of the council. Morgorth expects sabotage and prepares accordingly. He fears for Aishe's life, knowing that the best way to sabotage the inquiry is to eliminate the witnesses. He sets into motion a desperate plan that, though it will protect Aishe, could put a strain on their relationship not easily removed. Yet the true danger lurks unseen, and it will take all of Morgorth's skill, strength, and devotion to Aishe, to save his mate from the hold of a foe Morgorth has yet to tangle with: a dream demon. Now Morgorth must throw aside caution, restraint, and fear if he is to save the one most dear to him. He must call upon the power of the one thing he hates more than even his father: a stone of power. But even if he manages to save Aishe, his mate's experiences in Dreamworld—at the mercy of the dream demon—have changed him forever and could shatter their bond irrevocably.

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Summary: Can she stop what she unleashed? How in the world did Shaleigh Mallett find herself standing on a volcanic mountain facing the fire dragon, Tanwen? She isn’t supposed to be here. She’s supposed to be in high school, studying for classes and exploring abandoned buildings with her best friend. But no, she’s stuck on the Peak of Gwern, hoping that the dragon will somehow show mercy and stop the Madness that plagues them. There is still so much to do, so many wrongs to right. She can’t abandon her friends after she’s come so far. She won’t abandon them. Not even Talek, who is all but consumed by the Madness. She must take down Keriam the Magician, she must face the Bloody Forest, and she must lead if she ever wants to see home again. Book 3 of the Stolen series

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Summary: Three vampires. Three lives. Three stories intertwined. Bearing the guilt of destroying the holiest of books after becoming a vampire, the Dragon, Lord Desmond searches the world for lost knowledge, but instead, discovers truth in love. Born a slave in Ancient Greece, Alexandra craves freedom above all else, until a vampire sets her free, and then, she must pay the highest price of all … her human soul. An assassin who lives in the shadows, Roquelaure is cloaked even from himself, until he discovers the power of friendship and loyalty. Three vampires, traveling the world by moonlight—one woman and two men who forge a bond made in love and blood. Together they form a band of mercenaries called the Scarlet Order, and recruit others who are like them. Their mission is to protect kings and emperors against marauders, invaders, and rogue vampires as the world descends into the chaos of the Dark Ages.

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Summary: Return to Kell Shaw's Vestiges of Magic world in a knife-edge sequel. Lukie's father is trapped in the Underworld and it's all her fault. Twenty years after her murder, Lukie has returned to life and is ready to go home, but her father isn't willing to believe his beloved daughter is back from the dead. Before she can reconcile with him, a supernatural predator steals her father's soul. One that she's led straight to his door, after foolishly ignoring the signs that something was amiss. To get her father back, Lukie must uncover the true nature of the ancient horror haunting Thunderhead Ward before a spectral hunt of bestial ghosts is unleashed upon the world. And she only has until midnight on New Year's Eve, when the borders between the dead and living lands seal, or her father will be lost forever…

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Summary: “If you’re so obsessed with the truth, you need to look a little closer to home.” At the party celebrating Derry’s knighthood, Kyer learns a terrible truth—her “Guardian” is none other than Golgathaur, lieutenant to Dregor himself. Faced with rescuing the one person who holds the key to her identity, Kyer must use her newfound magical talent to enter the realm of her enemy, alone. There, Golgathaur reveals something that will not only change her life, but also the lives of those whom she holds most dear. He demands an impossible choice, even as Kyer is thunderstruck by yet another magical discovery. Realizing that her motivations are agonizingly interconnected with her enemy leads to an inconvenient truth: each needs the other alive to achieve their goals. Worse, one she thought she could trust is hiding the most terrible secret of all. Kyer and the company led by Lord Valrayker soon find themselves on a journey to carry out a horrific deed in order to save Rydris from a terrible fate. Even those who have already fled are in peril. Preorder the electrifying penultimate book in the Gatekeeper fantasy trilogy-in-five-parts today. “Gatekeeper’s Crucible introduced me to the fantasy series I didn’t know I sorely needed. With rich, well-woven world building, resilient heroes, and wretched villains, Wallace had me under her spell from the first word to the last.” ~ Cait Gordon, award-winning co-editor of Nothing Without Us Too and author of Speculative Shorts: Stories that fell out of my brain

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Summary: "Why don't you trust me?" he asked. Hurt and disbelief whirled in her head. "Because you don't trust me."   The Lady Alon Maer, wife of duke Kien Bartheylen, is pregnant and seriously ill. Swordfighter Kyer Halidan, along with her company of friends, takes on the mission to find a cure. If they fail, Alon and her baby will die. An alluring stranger who calls himself The Guardian turns up along the way and gives Kyer timely warnings, earning her trust, and hinting at her true identity. But is he helping her, or serving his own ends? An uncanny escape, a gift from a dead warrior, a shocking message for Kyer's ears only, all sow suspicions among her friends that she is not who she claims to be. Even as their faith in her is tainted, her nemesis plots his vengeance: exposing unassailable evidence that it is Kyer who is attempting to murder Alon Maer.

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Summary: She plunged her blade into his chest, feeling it grind along his ribs... Outcast swordfighter, Kyer Halidan, was abandoned in a cornfield at age three. Now, twenty years on, shes searching for answers: Who left her there? And why? Kyer doesnt suffer fools, and when she kills a man in a duel, it changes her life forever. The duel catches the eye of Valrayker, a legendary hero, who pulls her into his company for a high-stakes mission to save a village. While on the mission, Kyer is stalked and captured by powerful allies of the man she killed, who are determined to learn what she knowsand will stop at nothing to find out. Shes rescued by an inexplicable magic that raises suspicions among her friendsand fuels her enemies wrath even further. And worsetheir fear. As trust crumbles around her and danger closes in, Kyer must defy orders and challenge the very people she swore to follow. As for her true identity, Valrayker harbours his own suspicions. But hes keeping those secrets to himself for now. Gatekeeper's Key is an adventure riddled with danger, intrigue, mysterious magic, scheming villains, humour, sword-wielding badassery, and dark consequences.   "Gatekeeper's Key is a dark and luscious truffle everyone will want to savor and beg for more when it's done." ~ Diana Pharaoh Francis - USA Today Bestselling Author of the Path trilogy and the Crosspointe Chronicles. Gatekeeper's Key is a thrilling start to a fantasy series full of danger, intrigue and attitude. Reviews: "I just finished reading Book 1, and it was SO GOOD. Absolutely sank into this one." ~J. Reeser - author "I love this series. I just finished book three at two in the morning last night. For reference, I go to bed around nine. I just kept thinking just one more page. Just one more..." ~Theresa Miller - author of Mushrooms, Magic and Murder "WARNING: Start reading on a weekend or clear your schedule for the next few days because you will not be able to put this down!" ~Ruby Seah - Goodreads reviewer "This book is a love letter to classic fantasy: swords and sorcery, wizards and elves, struggles between good and evil - plus a spunky heroine who kicks ass and doesn't take anyone's sh*t." ~Celia T - Goodreads reviewer

Word Count: Click here to reveal52000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: To escape an arranged marriage, the king needs a fake fiancé. Stat. King Bastien’s father locked him into an ironclad betrothal contract with Lady Helena Rey when the two of them were only seven years old. Bas and Helena have never been friends—and not only because she marked their first meeting by dropping a frog down his shirt. He’s been unsuccessfully petitioning Parliament to annul the damn contract ever since he took the throne nine years ago. But with the deadline for officially confirming the engagement rapidly approaching, Bas is getting desperate. Enter commoner Nico Pereira, manager of the Royal Crest Vineyards, who nurses a secret crush on the king. He’s at the New Palace to unveil a  wine that’s the first joint venture between North and South Abarra. No problem, right? Except Nico has a secret: He has a superpower. Not a very strong superpower, but because powers are a privilege reserved for Royals, it still puts him at risk for arrest and prosecution. Nico can usually mask his limited foresight gift under the guise of being an incredibly efficient administrator. But when King Bastien asks him to be his fake fiancé? Well. Nico never saw that coming. Nothing if not loyal, Nico accepts the faux-posal, although close proximity to Bastien makes him more than a little… uncomfortable, and the increased scrutiny of government officials threatens to expose his illegal ability. Good thing this engagement is temporary, because being the king’s ex will be a lot less onerous than prison or exile. Or, if the attacks from a shadowy conspiracy continue, with being dead. King’s Ex is a 52,000-word M/M superhero rom-com featuring a fake engagement, class differences, improbably pristine clothing, dueling secrets, a guaranteed HEA, and a kitten.

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Summary: Two knights are better than one... Lady Grace never expected to be kidnapped. Why would she? She’s a duke’s daughter and about to marry her beloved white knight, Prince Isaac. Although Grace manages to escape the bandits... she doesn’t do it alone. A masked man sweeps her off her feet, and from their first encounter, she knows he’s something special. Thankfully, her betrothed is of a similar mind to her own. Prince Isaac is equal parts delighted to be reunited with his bride and intrigued by her rescuer, a courteous, quiet man named Samuel. He and Grace always wanted a special third on their wedding night—and in their marriage bed—and Samuel might be the one they’ve been looking for. They simply need to seduce him into believing it as well. Samuel can’t help but be enraptured by Grace’s beauty and spirit and Isaac’s strength and charm. Hiding behind a mask, he knows they will reject him if they see his devastating scars, but their playful coaxing and suggestive smiles force him to wonder if they are as sincere as they seem. Convincing Samuel to join them might prove to be their greatest challenge yet. Good thing Grace is a woman who gets what she wants, and Isaac has a royal’s stubbornness. Samuel doesn’t stand a chance. Enjoy this spicy single title about a fierce noblewoman, her loyal prince, and their masked knight who pines for acceptance and belonging.

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Summary: A bond they thought couldn’t be broken... Lord Morgorth, Dark Mage of the North, has never felt so far away from his precious mate as he does now. Still reeling from the events of a month before, Aishe struggles to come to grips with what the dream demon did to him while pretending to be Morgorth. For his part, Morgorth is haunted by the chilling vision the Mother sent him while he traversed Dreamworld—a vision where he kills the one most precious to him. Due to that knowledge, he knows he must choose his magick or his mate. A choice with devastating consequences... When Morgorth goes missing, Aishe must search for him, frightened that he has lost his mage forever. In his heart he knows they were meant for each other and refuses to allow his own horrid memories to tear them apart. But when he finds Morgorth he is stunned to realize that Morgorth doesn’t remember him. In fact, in Morgorth’s mind, he is a young lad named Lazur. Sometimes the most well-known truth is the greatest lie... For his entire life, Morgorth always knew his destiny was to become the Destroyer of his home world. His birthright as the third seventh son of a seventh son guaranteed such an outcome. Everyone told him so—except his mentor, Master Ulezander. Morgorth will learn that his mentor has been keeping the greatest secret of all: his true destiny.

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Summary: The epic LGBTQ fantasy continues in a world on the brink of war. King Anden of Vindra is the last of his line. His lords demand he take a wife and secure the future of the realm - but where does that leave Sir River Fox? As their romance is tested like never before, an enemy stirs across the sea, threatening everything they hold dear. Meanwhile, in the city of Corsi, the Berossian Quarter teeters on the edge of catastrophe. Xenophobia and religious zealotry are at a breaking point, and when the simmering hatred finally erupts, the consequences will shake the continent. From the sacred peaks of Oracle Mountain to the pirate isles of Jorva, from the shipyard of Tideford to the opulent Jade Citadel, book two of the CELESTIA trilogy is a sweeping tale of love, loyalty, and the cost of power.

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Summary: An exiled prince searching for the truth. A curious squire desperate to prove himself. An epic romance that will change the world. Sixteen-year-old Prince Anden has spent eight years in the shadows - banished, forgotten, blamed for the death of a king. When he returns to his tense and divided kingdom, he meets River: an eager squire with a talent for trouble and a smile that disarms Anden’s guarded heart. As their friendship grows into something deeper, Anden begins to believe he might deserve more than vengeance. He might even deserve love. But treason runs deeper than either of them imagined. As assassins close in and war brews across the continent, Anden must rally allies, confront buried truths, and risk everything – not just for the crown or his family, but for the boy who believes in him. Set in a world without overt magic, Prince of Dawn is the spellbinding first volume in a queer fantasy trilogy about loyalty, legacy, and the courage to choose your own future.

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Summary: The epic conclusion to the LGBTQ fantasy series. King Anden of Vindra stands against High Queen Telmaine, a clash of crowns that will determine the fate of the continent. The Berossian Empire launches its forces in a great crusade, but an unexpected voice rises in the form of a barefoot priestess, whose messages of peace spread like wildfire, threatening to derail the empire’s war effort and shake its very foundations. Cities will burn. Generals will fall. History repeats itself as Anden finds himself at sea, torn between saving his kingdom and the man he loves. The final book of the CELESTIA trilogy is a breathtaking tale of love and sacrifice, choices and destiny. When Celestia is drawn for the last time, who will shape the world to come?

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Summary: RISE (noun / verb) Eight definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) An upward slope or movement 2) A beginning or origin 3) An increase in amount or number 4) An angry reaction 5) To take up arms 6) To return from death 7) To become heartened or elated 8) To exert oneself to meet a challenge Rise features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

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Summary: The time has come. The Dark Mage, Lord Morgorth, and Aishe of the Ravena Tribe, are to become bondmates. Morgorth is equal parts nervous and excited. He wants to unite with Aishe in the sacred dialen ceremony, to proclaim their devotion to the world, to show everyone that Aishe is his equal and deserving of respect. After all they’ve survived together, why shouldn’t they make the cosmic promise before friends and family? But duty must often come before pleasure. When Morgorth’s estranged mentor, Master Ulezander, comes to him with a time-sensitive mission involving a major stone of power, Morgorth has little choice but to acquiesce. Aishe knows his mate struggles with the revelation of his true destiny, after a lifetime of defining himself as the future Destroyer of Karishian. All he can do is reassure Morgorth that being the Savior is a far better fate for both of them. But as Morgorth and Aishe leap through worlds and dimensions in pursuit of a stone of power, more pieces to the puzzle of Morgorth’s destiny are revealed. And they form an image of sacrifice and tragedy. The dark cloud of an ancient enemy looms ever closer, and the path to becoming the Savior might prove more monstrous than that of the Destroyer.