A knight hangs up her sword. A dragon makes the perfect shop assistant. And the best chocolate in the realm is about to change everything.
For fans of Legends & Lattes and The House in the Cerulean Sea, a heartwarming cozy fantasy about finding where you truly belong.
Dassia Temperton has a secret, well, not a secret so much as a bold, ongoing misunderstanding that she refuses to correct in the kingdom. For years, she has been a woman disguised as a knight... because honestly, have you seen how they get treated? Hot meals. Personal space. Significantly fewer marriage proposals from balding merchants.
Dassia has been living in borrowed armor and even more borrowed confidence, dodging questions and keeping her feelings locked up tighter than a royal vault. But when her captain sends her on a quest to slay a dragon, Dassia meets a chocolate-obsessed dragon with a flair for the dramatic and zero interest in being slain.
What starts as survival becomes something: a friendship, a business partnership, and a cozy chocolate shop in a village where nobody asks too many questions. Etchling has demands (snacks), opinions (many), and a talent for poking directly at Dassia's emotional armor.
Add a charming bookshop mage who has the nerve to see right through her, and Dassia's defenses begin to melt. But some meltdowns are how hearts grow softer, especially when chocolate is involved.
A heartwarming and humorous cozy fantasy about found family, second chances, and discovering that the bravest thing you can do is let yourself be known.
Autorentext
M. J. Gillbright is our shared pen name. We are a husband-and-wife storytelling team who build worlds together (usually fueled by imagination, optimism, and delicious dinners). We believe the world needs more stories that feel like a warm cup of "everything is going to be okay" with extra marshmallows.
As recovering theme park designers, we have spent years crafting immersive experiences and learning that the best stories don't just entertain... they make you feel like you belong there!
When we are not writing, you will find us hiking Southern California trails, sending out positive newsletters, and practicing the sacred art of eating food like it is a love language.