Duel for the Throne

Kval, young and still unsure of himself, has just ascended to the throne of the Dakh Hhargashian Empire. It is a job he’d never planned to take, since his culture runs on cruelty, with brutal customs that have endured for millennia. Now as the emperor, he is determined to end the systemic abuse. But his reforms will threaten the power of the empire's most influential leaders, and they have no intention of giving up the perks they enjoy.

Surrounded by enemies and confronting resistance at every turn, Kval finds unexpected allies in a traumatized former slave, a human ambassador, and a mysterious empath from a subjugated race.

With his people divided between tradition and progress, and his family held hostage, Kval must find a way to save not only his throne, but the soul of his empire. But in a culture built on strength through suffering, benefits through brutality, and power through pain, can real change ever be possible?