Manipulator's War

Ruarnon, a nonbinary character, is determined to show they are worthy of inheriting the throne of Tarlah from a king held in high regard. That ambition is tested when Ruarnon's parents are abducted and the crown falls to them, just as war looms and the allies they would normally rely on are nowhere to be seen.

Across the border, King Kyura has no plans to attack Tarlah, yet many of his subjects crave conquest and the prestige that expansion would bring. When he refuses their demands for war, assassins target his family and rebellion threatens his rule.

Linh, an Australian woman stranded far from home, wants nothing more than to return to her family in Australia. The only ship that could carry her to the gateway that leads home is one of the allied vessels sailing to Tarlah's aid, the same fleet that has not yet arrived.

Sea monsters menace everyone. Linh's observations of these creatures could protect Kyura's people and open her path home, but only if she is willing to risk her life helping Ruarnon. Meanwhile, Ruarnon faces the final test of their heirship: securing peace with Kyura's restless subjects, a course that could lead to betrayal and a bloody defeat for Tarlah.