Sovereign Stone Series 1 - Well of Darkness

Driven by ruthless ambition. A prince ready to defy gods and kings to seize an empire.

Second in line for succession to the throne, Prince Dagnarus will have his crown…and his queen — though his heart’s prize is a married elfin beauty. Let his hated half-brother Prince Helmos and the Dominion Lords dare to oppose him.

King Tamaros may dream of uniting the realms in peaceful harmony, but cold ambition will carve a far bloodier path. At the marble palace of Vinnengael, the exquisite Lady Valura awakens a reckless passion that defies her elven marriage and court protocol alike.

Neither the revered magi of the high temple nor the ancient laws of the crown will stay his march toward power. Deep within the forgotten chambers beneath the city, forbidden rites and ancient shadow offer the young prince a supremacy that birthright denied him.

For Dagnarus's most loyal servant has ventured into the terrible darkness, where lies the most potent talisman in the realm. And once it is in the dark prince's hand, no power will deter his Destiny.

• Forbidden Romance: Behind the high stockades of an isolated estate on the River Hammerclaw, Dagnarus risks execution to woo Lord Mabreton's guarded wife with secret gifts of Pecwae turquoise. What begins as an arrogant wager soon spirals into an all-consuming affair that threatens to ignite a war between races.
• Morally Grey Hero: Unwilling to live in his brother's saintly shadow, Dagnarus flouts the peaceful tenets of the realm to master forbidden death magic. To build an unstoppable vanguard, he unearths an ancient ceremonial blade capable of raising the Vrykyl—terrible, armored warriors bound to his absolute command.
• Sibling Rivalry: While Crown Prince Helmos earns the silver, swan-crested armor of the Dominion Lords, Dagnarus demands equal standing as a master of battle. Their bitter feud forces King Tamaros to choose between his virtuous heir and the fierce younger son who will stop at nothing to take his place.
• Epic World-Building: From the roaring waterfalls of Vinnengael to the plains of nomadic horse-clans, four distinct races share the fragile peace of the continent. But when a divine diamond pyramid known as the Sovereign Stone is divided among them, ancient rivalries threaten to shatter the realm.
• Also by This Author: Warrior Angel, Dark Heart and Fallen Angel.