The Hollow Flame Cycle
The palace was built to recognise every threat. Silas Thorn is the first presence its ancient wards cannot decide whether to admit, reject, or answer.
Taken from his London conservation studio by an impossible book, Silas remains confined within the royal palace of Elyrion, where courtesy conceals locked doors and every attempt to ask about home becomes another form of evidence.
When the word Veil changes beneath his hand and the chamber lights respond to his voice, the Crown and the Guild of Mages are forced into an uneasy investigation. Silas possesses no magical training, bears none of the recognised marks of a mage, and understands nothing of the forces moving through the palace around him. Yet written words deepen upon the page, sealed passages awaken beneath his feet, and wards laid centuries earlier begin recognising routes that should have remained forgotten.
Princess Lirael Vaerenthis must protect both the kingdom and the displaced man trapped inside its authority, while preventing the Guild from turning uncertainty into possession. Her sister, Ser ne, searches older foundation records and discovers that the official histories may have concealed something far more troubling than an accidental crossing.
As the palace itself grows unstable, Silas is moved beyond the capital under royal guard. The new residence promises open grounds, quieter wards, and greater freedom, yet its boundaries have been prepared before he arrives.
Because the realm has begun responding to Silas Thorn.
And no one yet understands what it believes him to be.
The Wards Beneath the Crown is Book Two of The Hollow Flame Cycle, a character-driven epic fantasy series combining ancient magic, royal politics, hidden realms, institutional conflict, and slow-burning mystery.
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