After a long journey through drafts, submissions, and soul-searching, I’m thrilled to announce that Duke Rhime of the Spire is now available for preorder, a Lucardian chronicle of power, sorcery, and sacrifice.
This book marks a journey back to the early, darker days of Lucardia, set 310 years before the events of the Absolution of the Morning Star series, during the final death throes of the Five Kingdoms Period. It is the first installment of a planned trilogy chronicling the rise of one of Lucardia’s most consequential and enigmatic figures: Rhime Battenborne of Eldenspire.
But this really isn’t his story.
Duke Rhime of the Spire is told entirely through the eyes of Evaline Lysena, a second daughter of a debt-stricken noble house and the true heart of this saga. From the moment she is married off to the brooding, ambitious, and increasingly unhinged Rhime, Evaline must navigate the treacherous world of noble politics, dark sorcery, and emotional survival.
I made a deliberate decision to write this book from a woman’s point of view. Rhime is driven by ambition and craves power, but he’s actually quite dull in his single-minded pursuit. Evaline is a much more interesting and nuanced heroine. I wanted to show the brutal cost of empire from the perspective of someone caught in its machinery. Evaline is strong, flawed, and fiercely human. She anchors Rhime as long as she can—but there are some tides even love cannot turn. Eventually, Evaline must make unthinkable choices to protect what remains of herself, her people, and Lucardia’s future.
Through her, I am also venturing into uncharted territory in my writing practice and dipping a toe in the romance genre. Duke Rhime of the Spire is not a Romantasy per se, but it is a dark fantasy with romantic undertones.
Lucardia is a land built on blood, prophecy, and broken alliances. Duke Rhime of the Spire steps into that raw, ununified world—long before Vesper or Lightbearer—when five kingdoms teetered on the edge of collapse. Rhime is not yet a legend. He is a noble with dangerous ambition, rising from the haunted walls of Eldenspire, making impossible choices, and forging a legacy in the dark.
But through Evaline’s eyes, we see something else: not just the making of a conqueror but the cost of being close to one. Most importantly, the trilogy will cover a pivotal moment in both the Battenborne and Zuilkaarme family lines, providing essential insights into the events of the larger AMS series.
Initially, I intended to query Duke Rhime of the Spire and pursue traditional publication. And I did. I had a few agent nibbles—some curiosity, some promise—but ultimately, I chose to pivot. With Koen: Quills from the Raven’s Nest releasing soon through Grendel Press, I knew I could better spend my time and energy promoting that book.
Rhime deserved its own space to breathe. If I didn’t publish it now, it would be eclipsed—and that wouldn’t be fair to the story or to Evaline.
More importantly, I want to focus my querying efforts entirely on Jezelle: Thief of Oaks. Jezelle’s story feels like my strongest candidate for traditional success. Since querying two projects at once (especially to the same agent pools) is unwise, this decision gives me the breathing room I need—without leaving Rhime in a drawer gathering dust.
If you enjoy gothic fantasy, tragic love, morally gray ambition, and heroines who endure—this story will pull you in and refuse to let go. It’s fierce, poetic, and grim.
You can also find an updated sample chapter here!
If you’re interested in being an ARC (Advanced Review Copy) reader and want to get a free and early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, don’t be shy! Hit me up here!
Thank you for joining me in Lucardia. With Koen on the horizon, Jezelle soon to follow, and The Monk of Thanatos being written, there is much more coming! I’m grateful for your support on this wild and winding journey.
Cheers!
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