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An ancient army resurrected.
A kingdom on the brink of collapse.
A rebellion thirteen years in the making.
…and an heir who refuses to follow the rules


All Nick wants is a normal teenage life, hidden from his war-torn homeland, Korelios. But when the rebellion he abandoned tracks him down, he is dragged back into the war he tried to forget.

The only hope for Korelios is for Nick to reclaim his throne, but to do that he must form a dangerous allegiance with the Penumbra Guard, a clandestine army led by a man his friends have sworn to kill.

As alliances blur and betrayals cut deep, Nick must confront the brutal legacy of his own bloodline and decide what he's willing to sacrifice for the crown he never wanted.


Because in this war, the price of victory may be his humanity.

Fantasy, Alternative History, Portal Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Australian, YA, Young Adult, Political Fantasy

About The Author

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Alethea is an Australian author of YA fiction and archaeology non-fiction. 

Her fiction books have been finalists in the Aurealis Awards, and her non-fiction has been shortlisted for ABDA and EPAA Awards. 

She draws on her love of archaeology to bring her fiction to life, and she enjoys turning traditional tropes on their heads to create gritty, fast-paced, political, and character-driven stories with morally grey casts and defiant heroes. 

She lives in a quiet country town outside Melbourne with her husband and little tribe of boys.
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