""Lush, vibrant fantasy with a glorious love story at its heart. Haddon weaves a riveting tale of a king, his bodyguard and a romance that decides the fate of kingdoms. Filled with mythic creatures and a rich, layered world, this is fantasy at its finest.""C.S. PACAT, AUTHOR OF 'CAPTIVE PRINCE' ""Tension, conflict and romance that will force your heart into your throat. A fantasy story that invades your reality and will not let go. Fabulous!""BEN ALDERSON, AUTHOR OF 'LORD OF ETERNAL NIGHT' ""Wonderful characters and a fantastic world. A great read!""GINN HALE, AUTHOR OF 'WICKED GENTLEMAN' ""An electrifying debut...Haddon balances the deep, visceral emotion of his prose with witty banter, breakneck action, and romantic tension that will leave readers spellbound as they follow King Zavrius and the paladin Balen into a dark, opulent world of court politics, queer pining, and betrayal.""ADEN POLYDOROS, AUTHOR OF 'THE CITY BEAUTIFUL'