Fortress of the Forgotten: Book One of the Swordmaster Series

A hunted man. A kingdom in peril. A quirk of destiny.

Ten warriors hunt a lone man. He flees . . . and plunges headlong into an epic quest of even greater danger.

Talon, ruthlessly pursued by the warrior band, returns to the land of his birth. He finds it threatened by an enemy army. The mountain fortress that guards the narrow pass into the realm is undermanned. Worse, the kingdom's soldiers are fighting a battle on another front. There are no reinforcements.

The fortress will soon fall. When it does, the enemy will ravage an unprotected people. Talon risks his life on a near suicide mission to bring word to allies who might help. But to reach them, he must somehow pass through the very army set to destroy the kingdom. No other path will get him there in time.

He begins the quest, but the warrior band has not given up the hunt. Nor is the invading army led by a man, but by a sorcerer ready to risk anything for victory.

Talon is beset by enemies at every step, including a creature of dark power that stalks him. The road to safety is long, and the hope of success is short. Yet, in the darkest hour of his life, he finds an unexpected ally. A girl of striking courage helps him, and he falls in love with her. But if their quest fails, only smoke and ash will remain of the future they might have shared.