The Ballad of Alchemy and Steel
A Novella Companion to The Relics of War
Synopsis:
In the Murkor culture, it is customary for the individuals bound during the unity ceremony of ujar’havel to compose a book of memories detailing the events that led to their first meeting and subsequent desire to be joined.
As a Murkor without a mother to guide him, Sal’zar is afforded unusual freedoms in his path to ujar’havel and the selection of a caste. In their strongly matriarchal society, his father’s voice holds little weight. He must forge his own destiny, though he struggles to find the proper way.
Sal’zar knows he is unsuited to the soldier’s caste, but is running out of options. One fateful day, he journeys to the sparring ring to test his mettle, where he meets Jal’den. Jal’den is the same age, but has already proven himself a better fighter than most of the older children. Noting Sal’zar is without a sparring partner, Jal’den offers to pair with him, and so begins a long friendship that may ultimately become something more.
Note: This story features LGBTQ+ themes.
ebook Editions ($2.99)
Signed special edition hardcovers are available for purchase at my Ko-Fi Shop
Editorial Reviews:
“I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy slow build romance with a touch of fantasy.” – Behind the Pages
“I enjoyed this for several reasons. The first is what a sweet romance it is, it’s already one of my favorite romance stories I’ve ever read… This story put a huge smile on my face and I hope others will give it a read and share it as well.” – Baskerville Book Reviews
Recent Related Blog Posts:
- All of my Main Characters
All of my Main Characters I was bored recently and decided to make a list of every main character that has appeared in my published and to-be published books. This was a “just for fun” exercise, but maybe you’ll find… Read more: All of my Main Characters - My Adventures in Worldbuilding
My Adventures in Worldbuilding There’s something about worldbuilding that is so immersive, so fun, that I keep doing it time and again. And I don’t mean just adding to the existing worlds and universes I’ve already written stories for. I… Read more: My Adventures in Worldbuilding - The Relics of War (Series and Related Content) Timelines
The Relics of War (Series and Related Content) Timelines I’ve had a few people ask for the specifics of when Serpentus fits into The Relics of War universe, so I decided I’d write a post explaining the timelines of the… Read more: The Relics of War (Series and Related Content) Timelines - Inside The Ballad of Alchemy and Steel
Inside The Ballad of Alchemy and Steel This post was requested by a reader who wanted to know more about the writing process for my “sort of” prequel to The Relics of War trilogy. I wasn’t initially planning to write… Read more: Inside The Ballad of Alchemy and Steel