I hope you enjoyed reading this first book in the King’s Dark Tidings (KDT) series. Please consider leaving a review or comments so that I may continue to improve and expand upon this ongoing series. I invite you to visit my website at www.kelkade.com. The audiobook, produced by Podium Publishing, is available on Audible.com! As an added bonus, I have included Chapter 1 from KDT Book Two, Reign of Madness on the following pages. Enjoy!

Reign of Madness

(Excerpt from King’s Dark Tidings, Book Two)

Chapter 1

The young travelers left General Marcum’s estate in a mixture of excitement and apprehension. After an uninterrupted trek through the city, they met up on the docks near the Luna Mara. Frisha’s cousins and their entourage had yet to arrive. Captain Jimson was standing to one side going over the paperwork with the dock master and ship’s captain. Frisha stood huddled next to Tam, and both were staring at Rezkin who was tending to Pride several yards away. He was dressed in the most ostentatious finery they had ever seen on their companion. He wore a fine silk doublet in charcoal and silver brocade over a silver silk shirt and dark charcoal breeches. About his waist was a shiny, embossed black belt with a large silver buckle embedded with several large emeralds and sapphires.

From his belt hung his two swords, whose scabbards were now clamped within cages of silver filigree inset with a number of sapphires. Hanging from each were dark blue silk tassels that swung as he strutted about in a manner they had never seen from their friend. His high boots were made of high-quality, soft, black leather. Rezkin’s hair was not pulled back into the usual queue, but rather was plaited past his shoulders and tied with a silver silk ribbon whose ends hung half way down the man’s back. Rezkin was a picture of perfection if one were painting an idealized haughty noble.

Reaylin had only just arrived at the docks and was leaning over Frisha and Tam’s shoulders as she asked, “What is Rez wearing and why is he acting like that?”

Frisha shook her head and said, “I have no idea. He changed after breakfast and told us to just go with it. I can’t imagine how he could even afford all that, much less why he would want to.”

Reaylin’s eyes roved over the young warrior, and she said, “It looks good on him, though.”

Releasing a wistful sigh, Frisha said, “It really does. He looks so dashing. He’s exactly how I imagine the heroic prince would look as he sweeps the princess off her feet.”

Tam laughed and commented, “I’m pretty sure you both said the same thing when you saw him wearing nothing at all.”