From New York Times bestselling author and master of romance Bertrice Small comes the stunning conclusion to the World of Hetar seriesâ¦
A hundred years have passed since the Faerie woman Lara last saved Hetar. Her youth and beauty remain as always. The waning years, however, have taken many of her friends and kin. And those who remember her heroism in times of peril are few.
All the while Laraâs son, the charming but nefarious Twilight Lord Kolgrim, waits patiently for his moment. Kolgrim wonât repeat his fatherâs mistakes by waging war. His way is more subtle but just as sinisterânot even Laraâs formidable powers will be able to stop him. Though all seems lost, Lara still clings to the hope that she can fulfill the prophecy to unite the people of Hetar.
As darkness once again falls over her land, Lara finds that, more than ever, she needs the wisdom, love and support of the handsome Shadow Prince, Kaliq. In their greatest trial yet, Lara and Kaliq will finally meet her long-foretold destinyâ¦together.
Praise for The World of Hetar series and New York Times bestselling author
âReaders who enjoyed the first in [this] new series will devour Laraâs latest adventure.â
âBooklist on A Distant Tomorrow
âThe third in the World of Hetar series has plenty of political intrigue, some fantastical characters, and lots of Smallâs unique brand of hot, boldly descriptiveâ¦romance.â
âBooklist on The Twilight Lord
âSmallâs newest novel is a sexily fantastical romp.â
âPublishers Weekly on The Sorceress of Belmair
âRich in colorful characters, brimming over with Smallâs unique sense of erotic passion and a plot filled with mystery, the fourth title in the series is another masterpiece.â
âRT Book Reviews on The Sorceress of Belmair, Top Pick
âSmall is not only a queen of erotic/adventure historicals, with the fifth book in the World of Hetar series, she is a grand mistress of erotic fantasy.⦠With this newest story, the author demonstrates that we can âhave it all.ââ
âRT Book Reviews on The Shadow Queen, Top Pick
âThe final volume in the World of Hetar delivers a fantasy loverâs delight.â
âRT Book Reviews on Crown of Destiny
The World of Hetar now is done.
My faerie tale its course hath run. Hetar at last will meet its fate. The magic world hath closed the gate. But Lara and Kaliq prevail. For them the light will never fail.
PROLOGUE
HE HAD KILLED her with his bare hands. Actually he had used only one hand. His long elegant fingers closing about her slim white throat, squeezing, squeezing, until the terror in her dark eyes had faded away to nothingness. She had failed him. He had forgiven her the first time. And the second. But when a third mating season frenzy had come upon him, and she failed yet again, there had been no other choice open to him. Her delicious darkness had attracted him, but she was nothing more than a fertile field in which to plant the seed that would become his son. And after the child was born he had intended killing her anyway.
Now at least he would not have to listen to her foolish ambitions. Or her harping at him to leave the Dark Lands and go out to conquer Hetar. She had never understood that for his conquest to succeed they must be patient, and rebuild his armies. They had time, and this time the darkness would overcome the light. But Ciarda had never accepted the fact that women were for nothing more than pleasures and babies. She wanted to be part of his eventual conquest, foolish creature! Her inability, however, to give him his heir had been her downfall. He had thought she was the one. She had believed she was.
And once her body had gone limp in his grasp he had personally carried the lifeless form from her bedchamber halfway across the bridge leading to his House of Women. Then with a final look at his half sisterâs remains he dropped them over the balustrade of the span into the bottomless ravine. Returning to his Throne Room, Kolgrim, the Twilight Lord, called Alfrigg, his chancellor, to him.
âCiarda is no more,â he announced to the dwarf when Alfrigg stood before him.
âShe was not the one,â Alfrigg said quietly. âWill you not now look in the Book of Rule to see what it says to you.â
Kolgrim nodded. âOpen it,â he said.
And going to the stand that held the Book of Rule, the chancellor opened it reverently. Then he stepped back to allow his young master to see what was written.
Once he had quickly scanned them, Kolgrim beckoned Alfrigg over to see the words. Very few could read the ancient tongue so beautifully inscribed upon the pages. Twilight Lords read them instinctively. Alfrigg had been taught the language by the former Twilight Lord, Kolgrimâs father, because he had earned his masterâs trust when no one else had.