Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:
The Necromancer’s Prisoner
By Elric Shaw

Hearts of Allaria, Book 1

When Light meets Dark, the resulting conflagration may burn bright…or fizzle to ash.

Alistair became a paladin to honor his father’s legacy. While he’s never been particularly devout, he’s determined to live up to the responsibility of his station. His first solo mission sounded simple enough: purge the undead terrorizing a remote mountain village and bring the wicked necromancer controlling them to justice. But when he winds up captured, he begins to suspect that the village faces a far greater threat than a few skeletons…and that his strange captor might need protecting just as badly.

Paladins have hunted Ignatius his entire life. His crime—daring to be born with the wrong kind of magic. Ostracized from society, he has spent years on the run with only his undead for company. The mountains seemed like the perfect place to seek refuge for the winter…until an obnoxiously handsome paladin arrives on his doorstep. Ignatius expects to loathe Alistair like the rest of his arrogant kin; however, when a harsh winter storm forces them together, he finds himself opening up to the paladin in ways he’d never dreamed possible.

Alistair and Ignatius both have every reason not to trust the other. Alistair is a paladin of the Light while Ignatius is a necromancer of the Dark. Yet, as mysterious magic threatens to eradicate the nearby village, they have little choice except to combine forces if they hope to survive. But can a paladin and a necromancer really set aside their differences for the greater good…or will the rift between them prove impossible to ever bridge?

The Necromancer’s Prisoner is a standalone M/M fantasy romance novel set in the Hearts of Allaria shared universe.

Universal Link

Add on Goodreads

Excerpt:

A pair of undead stepped through the doorway, their skeletal forms clattering. Alistair didn’t wait for them to make the first move. He charged forward, smashing a fist into the rightmost undead’s head. Dawnflame erupted around the blow, searing the abomination. It wasn’t enough to finish it, but it still sent the skeleton reeling back, its exposed jaw smoking.

The second undead raised its arms to fend him off, but it was as if it had no concept of how to fight. Alistair ducked easily around its clumsy attempt at a block, slamming a fist into its ribcage and then swinging around with his opposite elbow to clock it in the back of the skull.

Bones shattered in its chest, blackening to ash beneath the assault of holy fire, and the undead slumped against the wall. Alistair started for the door, only to freeze when another pair of undead clogged it. Unlike the first set, these both carried rusted swords. While their gear looked like it hadn’t seen use in ages, they at least held the blades like they knew how to wield them.

The new undead stepped aside, flanking the doorway, and a black-cloaked figure appeared in the space they’d vacated. A sliver of fear lodged itself in Alistair’s throat. The necromancer had chosen to reveal themself.

Alistair’s assessing gaze flicked from the necromancer to the two undead. Not insurmountable odds, but the duskflame wielder might have any number of spells in place to defend themself, and sans his armor and most of his dawnflame, Alistair was dangerously exposed. Better to play this safe until he could get a better sense of what he was dealing with.

“Who are you?” he demanded, keeping his fists held at the ready but making no move to attack. “Tell me why you have brought me here, fiend!”

The necromancer stood there for a long moment, their face hidden by a heavy black hood. Then, long, pale fingers slipped the hood back, revealing a youthful and surprisingly attractive—if somewhat gaunt—face framed by a mop of unkempt red hair. The necromancer blinked ice-blue eyes before twisting his mouth into a scowl.

“Fiend is a little harsh, don’t you think?” the boyish necromancer said, his voice soft as velvet. “After all, I did just save your life.”

Enter the Giveaway:

Florida refugee living in upstate New York with his longtime boyfriend. World of Warcraft survivor. Dungeons & Dragons/Pathfinder aficionado. Lover of tea, Star Trek, all things fantasy, and sappy gay love stories (also Titanic).

Website: https://www.elricshaw.com/
Mailing List Signup: https://www.elricshaw.com/signup
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elricshaw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elricshaw