The Stones of Valtara

About this book

A land divided by caste and faith. A king haunted by the traumas of his past. A young woman pursued by an ancient terror. For fifteen years, Rodric Shieldbane, king of Northern Tarania, has grieved the assassination of his wife. He yearns to cross the Veil to join her, but cannot abandon the kingdom or his family at such a troubling time. His children challenge his authority, the lower castes threaten to revolt, and the fanatical Mendari besiege the most exposed of the six clans-the Taleni. Fleeing the Taleni capital, Lady Amira rides towards the safety of Rodric's fortress. But as she heads through the depths of an ancient forest, she encounters a terror straight out of the nightmares of her childhood. For the Mendari now possess the ancient weapons of power from their dark god, Velak, and they will use them to cleanse Tarania of those who refuse to worship him. Will Rodric sacrifice the Taleni to save the remaining clans? Can Amira escape the shimmering menace hunting her? And after a thousand years dormant, why has Velak chosen this moment to emerge out of the darkness and share his power with the Mendari? A page-turning tale of betrayal, seduction, uprising and war, The Stones…