From the author of the critically-acclaimed fantasy novel A TASTE OF GOLD AND IRON comes a sequel/spinoff novella about loyalty and grief:Long before Tadek Hasira ever made it to the Gold Court to serve as one of the royal family’s elite bodyguards and servants, he was nothing more than a grubby street urchin in the poorest district of the capital city—that is, until her Highness, the Crown Princess Mihrişah, held out her hand in kindness, lifted him out of his circumstances, and gave him a future to dream of. But that was twenty years ago, and tragedy befell the palace only a few years into Tadek’s training.

Ever since, Tadek held his unwavering love and loyalty to his princess in silence. No one knows what she was to him, and he is prepared to carry that secret for the rest of his life.

. .

Unless someone—the right person—happens to find him standing vigil at her portrait. Praise for Book 1, A TASTE OF GOLD AND IRON:“Rowland delivers a breathtakingly intimate narrative in this gorgeous fantasy, in which the political intrigue of a kingdom serves as backdrop to a romance between the softest of hearts.

. .

. In exploring what monarchs owe their people, and what individuals owe each other, this achingly tender fantasy wows.

”―Publishers Weekly (starred review)"A beautifully detailed world, the power to touch-taste metal, political schemes, and a slow-burn romance wrap together in a lush fantasy. Rowland's latest continues to showcase their captivating prose, immersive details, and complicated characters.

"―Library Journal (starred review)“The matriarchal defaults and three-gender system present in Arasti society place the novel squarely among the ranks of contemporary queer fantasy. .

. An engaging fantasy/romance set in a large, lush, and inclusive world.

”―Kirkus Reviews (starred review). .