Once every thousand years, the king dies and a successor must be found.
Sir Garek is a knight living in the shadow of his disgraced ancestors. All he wants is to build a better life for his wife but the only person with the power to strip away his ruined title and name is the dying king.
When he reaches the king's castle, Sir Garek's request is granted, but the king asks for one favor - that he participate in a quest that will determine the king's successor. Torn between love of his wife and duty to his king, Sir Garek agrees.
Aided by a pair of magic boots and an oil lamp, he is to face four challenges that unfold in a dimension where time is distorted and decisions can be fatal. As memories of his wife spur him on, Sir Garek sets out on a dangerous quest that could make him king, or kill him.
Fun Facts
This was the first of two unintended stories I worked on in 2021 (the second being Of Ice and Roses). The idea came clear and fast. I had a 8,000 word draft written in three days by the end of June, a cover by July 4th, an editor by October, and a launch date planned by Christmas.
Trivia
When Sir Garek is mesmerized by the stars, he sees the constellation known as “Flamesend, the Night Dancer”. This is a fictionalized form of Orion, and one of the stars in his belt is the fantasy world of Flamesend.
Flamesend is pronounced “Flame-send”