The Stormking has brokered an uneasy peace with the west, but the threat of an elven invasion looms in the east. Hoping to prevent a bloody war, Will departs in search of the mythical hidden gate to the elven homeland, and believes the country is safe in his absence.He is wrong.Adept at manipulation, the elves seek to conquer from within, and their spies have already infiltrated the kingdom. As Selene prepares to defend her throne, she discovers that the elven plot runs deeper than the blackest shadows. Duty demands she put her nation first, but a loathsome ally urges a darker choice. Beset by foes and without the Stormking, she has never been so alone… or vulnerable.She cannot win without power. To gain it, she must embrace an ancient evil, or make the ultimate sacrifice. But she is Selene, the lich queen of Terabinia, and defiance is in her blood. When the hour comes, she will rise to face her legacy-and curse-as the Daughter of the Dragon. Michael Manning, a practicing pharmacist, has been a fantasy and science-fiction reader for most of his life. He has dabbled in software design, fantasy art, and is an avid tree climber. He lives in Texas, with his stubborn wife, two kids, and a menagerie of fantastic creatures, including a moose-poodle, a vicious yorkie, and a giant prehistoric turtle. Haunted by nightmares, Will has chosen exile. Living in anonymity, he seeks solace in family as he raises his son, but his absence has left a void, and an ancient foe craves a return to power. As war looms, Will's solitude is threatened. He must choose between his friends of the past and those of the present, and to save them he'll need what he swore he'd never again carry, the mantle of the Stormking.
