Of Blood and Steel

Book excerpt: After secluding himself from the outside world, a fearsome old man, Balak, is hired by a teenage girl, Arda, to make a perilous journey across Tartaurus. With the whole continent at war, he is tasked with guiding her safely to the distant castle of Iron Gates. They will have to learn to work together if they wish to make it alive, past the hostile wildlife, enemy territory, and giants. A dangerous journey that is further complicated by the inclusion of Arda's infant sister.Drawing from Caucasian history and mythology and the author's own rich imagination, the book explores the murky line between justice and revenge, and the lengths some people are willing to cross to get what they want.