Palace Intrigue

For a thousand years, the name Sword Monarch disappeared from history. The world believes the warriors fulfilled their duty and vanished, leaving kings to rule. Few know the truth. The Sword Monarchs did not disappear. They were betrayed, hunted to extinction, and erased from history by the people they protected. Eighteen-year-old Garrick Arundel, the last heir of House Arundel, a family condemned as traitors seventeen years ago. Stripped of his birthright, denied an education, and forced to live as a servant inside the Royal Estate of Nythria, Garrick spends his life enduring humiliation. To everyone around him, he is nothing more than the son of criminals. Everything changes when Garrick risks his life to save a maid from the son of the kingdom’s High Chancellor. Instead of being rewarded, he is framed for attempted murder through fabricated evidence and condemned before the court without being allowed to defend himself. During an assassination arranged to silence him, Garrick escapes into tunnels beneath the palace and awakens the Monarch’s Blade, inheriting the soul and power of Asterion Valtherion, the First Sword Monarch. Branded the kingdom’s most wanted fugitive, Garrick is forced into a world of monsters, ruins, ruthless assassins, and forgotten sanctuaries. Guided by the warrior whose spirit dwells within the blade, he begins mastering sword techniques lost for a thousand years while uncovering the conspiracy that destroyed both his family and the Sword Monarch Order. But every step toward the truth draws the attention of the Veiled Circle, a secret organization that has manipulated kingdoms from the shadows for centuries. As ancient enemies awaken and the balance of the continent begins to crumble, Garrick must decide whether to remain a hunted outcast or become the warrior history was never meant to remember. The Last Sword Monarch has returned.

He is universally renowned as a useless burden in the midst of a continent-wide war. Does he have what it takes to be the agent of victory? Gerardo of Liko is the lone survivor of a battle to the death, though he'd argue he'd be better off if he wasn't. Especially when he's tasked to rescue a prisoner of war, Jorge of En Why, who happens to be his greatest enemy on a personal level. Evidently, Jorge is destined to bring an end to the Stone War, so Gerardo agrees to take on the mission. Upon being captured in the process of releasing Jorge from the clutches of the enemy, Gerardo accepts his impending demise, and even welcomes it. But not all hope is lost. Rein Bow, a pixie with prophetic dreams, understands the importance of rescuing Gerardo. She recruits the help of a forest sprite and a colony of rodents living within the walls of the enemy's palace to devise an elaborate prison break. Meanwhile, Jorge's conscience, along with his fellow warriors who had escaped with him, urge him to use his shape-shifting abilities to repay Gerardo's efforts. Will Jorge be able to set aside his personal disgust and become the competent warrior required to rescue Gerardo? Will Jorge's and Rein's combined efforts be enough? And will Jorge's experiences mold him into the proficient warrior capable of bringing peace back to the United Empires? "Follow" is only the beginning. Within these pages is the birth of two majestic families whose generations are chronicled in this epic fantasy series filled with specters, fairies, elves, dragons, mermaids, and more. If you enjoy fantasy stories filled with adventure, politics, and the struggles with the balance of emotion and logic, "The Rose Tree Chronicles" is for you!

Jackson found no words to respond; he remained silent, holding the divorce papers. He felt numb, detached from the world around him. His wife's words and actions had left him shattered, unable to believe that their relationship had abruptly ended with no chance for reconciliation. As he stared at the divorce papers thrown in his face, he felt a sense of finality and loss engulfing him. He could only blame himself for everything that had happened – if he had been honest with his wife about his situation, perhaps things would have taken a different turn. Walking down the street lost in his thoughts, he heard his phone ring. Initially, he didn't want to answer; he wasn't in the mood to receive more bad news. But something in his gut told him to take the call. "Hello?" he answered reluctantly. "Young sir! Your grandfather informed me to contact you. 100,000,000 has been deposited into your account, and tomorrow your exile period will end. You'll regain control of your company, and the family is coming to welcome you back," the voice on the other end explained. Checking his phone, he indeed saw the deposited amount. Everything was falling back into place. Jackson replied hesitantly, "Tomorrow, I'll turn twenty-five." His mind returned to his old life in the palace and prestigious companies, where he was a rising star before being suddenly banished. He had always wondered when he would return. The voice from the phone continued, "Young sir! Your exile period has ended, and your companies are ready to welcome you back with open arms. We need you, Jackson – you are the heir to our companies, and we cannot do without you."

"My granddaughter will divorce Noah immediately, and we'll begin the preparations for her engagement with James Clifton. That's my final decision!” The matriarch declared, turning her gaze towards Noah, whom she considered less worthy than roadkill. “Or, you can just take the blame in place of Henry.” Voices rose in her support, urging Noah to accept his fate and go to jail for a crime he never committed. “Do you think a gutter rat like you compares with our precious Henry?” “You’re nothing but a worthless villager who got lucky by chance, but my daughter doesn't have to be tied to a fucking freeloader forever!” “Why Eliana ever agreed to marry you, I’ll never understand! I guess my lovely daughter has a heart of gold, but I won't let you take advantage of her!” Their eyes were cold and judgmental towards Noah, who was still an outsider after three years. “Just because you're allowed to live here, don't start thinking that you own the bloody palace! You’re nothing but a stain on this family’s name.” ***** Noah Kingsley– the heir to Edencrest Estate! He doesn't even need to walk amongst the mortals, for his lineage is one of Kings Yet, he lives a double life as Noah Turner, the downtrodden son-in-law of the Frost Family… all to repay a debt of his life saved by the girl, long long ago. Until one day… the Frosts force him to divorce his loving wife and take the blame for her cousin's heinous crime. Noah is ready to show the world his real power, but will his wife accept his new identity? What lies ahead for him at the family he was kicked out from, at the tender age of five? Will he ever be able to claim his place?