The Iron Regent

The Kingdom of Varenius lies in ruin. Its king is dead, its armies broken, its lords circling like vultures. Sixteen-year-old Caius, despised as a boy too frail to rule, is the last heir to a crown of ashes. Surrounded by traitors within and the relentless legions of the Marcan Empire without, Caius possesses only one weapon: a mind sharper than any sword. To save his kingdom, he must turn cunning into strategy, strategy into power, and power into survival. Every choice demands blood. Every victory comes at the cost of his soul. His reign will be whispered as both salvation and damnation. For to preserve Varenius, Caius must become the very tyrant he fears—an Iron Regent who rules not by divine right, but by ruthless design. To rule with iron… or see his people burn.