Beliefs shattered, two magically linked are called to seek truth.
Seventeen-year-old Will escapes from prison six years after his false conviction for murder. Found by a knight who lets Will serve as a squire, Will takes the knightβs mercy and follows him to war. Heβll protect against infidels, proving to the kingdom heβs not the monster they assume he is, and be seen kindly again.
As a child, when he burned a souk, Ahmed was terrified. Now sixteen, Ahmed is confident heβs improved. Seeking to become grand vizier and bring prestige to his family is everything he thought he wanted. The sultanβs test remains: bring an enemy to the capital. He heads to war believing that an enemyβs capture is a small price for the sultanβs blessing. Theyβre dangerous anyway.
Gems of powerful magic bring them together as kingdom and sultanate ravage each other over ignorance and religious zeal, nearing collapse. Theyβre mortal enemies, their monarchs say, but when Will and Ahmed meet amid fear and mistrust they learn to like each other. Their actions no longer seem right and their gems show a resolution. But who are two boys to effect change when those more likely have failed?
Sciencefiction en fantasy