With centuries of legacy to uphold, the Ouzoku rule over the vulpine kingdom, custodians of the safety and wellbeing of all citizens. Royalty isn't only a birthright; it's ordained by the gods. Those divine orders have been embraced for generations. Until now. If one thing is certain, it's that ambition has the power to corrupt absolutely. And even the strongest souls can't escape its grasp.
Minoru's been set adrift in a life he's never fully connected to, forced to assume duties he doesn't feel ready to accept. He's only just come of age, and without the anchor he's relied upon for his entire life, he feels more alone than he ever has. As the crown prince, he never knows who he can trust and who's manipulating him for their personal gain. Everything is political and everyone has an agenda. Even so, Minoru longs for someone he can befriend. All he wants is to escape the dishonesty which pervades his existence. He wants something real, something authentic. But if he hopes to be the ruler he aspires to be, then he'll need to learn to be honest with himself first.
Hailing from the mountain enclave of one of the Nettai clan's preeminent samurai guilds, Haruma has never questioned his role or his lifetime of rigorous training. He's known since he was a child that he was meant to be a samurai warrior. Now his years of hard work have served him well, as he's invited to the palace for a prestigious assignment. Thinking he's been rewarded for his skill and discipline, he leaves his life and family behind to travel to the vulpine capital, full of optimism for a new adventure. Reality is somewhat less than positive, however, when he discovers the truth of his mission and finds himself embroiled in a conspiratorial plot which will test his integrity in ways he never imagined.
The prince and the samurai are almost as opposite as two people can possibly be. Neither of them chose the fate they've been dealt, and they have no choice but to find their way to some semblance of common ground. If they can't learn to work together, then the insidious greed poisoning the palace halls will consume them both. If they fail, then the entire kingdom will be lost.
This work is intended for a mature audience and contains mature content. For a more comprehensive list of content tags, please see this book's information page at the author's website.
Autorentext
Leah Ross is a freelance writer and graphic designer with a penchant for loud electronic dance music and sappy love stories. She has been writing and creating art for most of her life, with works published by the International Library of Poetry and NewType USA. After receiving her BS in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder, she settled in the Denver metro area and thoroughly enjoys the quirks of high-altitude living with her family. Having met her husband online and being happily married to him since 2001, Leah believes that love is unconventional and the rules are always up for negotiation.