Book excerpt: "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn? Well I say, that they have never seen a dragon's wrath."Flames flickering in the darkness, Alec desperately searches through the mounds of rubble at his feet. Smoke and ash blur his vision. The pain of his unstable magic is nothing compared to the burning loss coursing through his chest. In a moment, everything has been torn asunder. Allies turned to enemies, the fragile peace has shattered, leaving more than a kingdom in ruin as foes long forgotten step from the shadows to bare their sharpened fangs.Armed with dangerous secrets, Jerric aims to tip the scales of power in Ashton's favor. He offers the self-crowned emperor a scroll leading to the Dragomir Staff. The ancient relic born of blood and dark magic may be the key between victory and defeat. Once Malcolm learns that the scroll is missing from the depths of Ariston Castle, it's a race against time to unlock the clues leading to the staff before their enemies.Accompanied by his new royal guards, Alec sets forth with his friends on a journey that will take them beyond the reaches of Malyndor. Unexpected challenges will test them and vengeance fueled foes will pursue them. The prince's struggles to remain out of the spirit realm increase with each new surge of dragon's magic. The threat of death has not yet vanished. In time, Selena's offers of salvation may prove too tempting for Alec to continue to resist.