Relics, Rivals, and Rage: An Anthean Universe Novella

Kalinda, the owner of Firebreathing and Storybooks, is a hot mess. Emphasis on the mess, but one that is living her dream life—other than the lack of romance she’s been experiencing. Forgetful, clumsy, and easily distracted, the second to last thing she expected was to be called into a meeting as one of the brightest minds in the kingdom. This is only rivaled with the request that she race against time and another being to solve the problem of separating everyone out by races as land and food stores quickly disappear. The prize should she solve Anthea’s greatest problem yet? Her bookshop’s debts being paid off with coins left for renovations.

New to town, quiet and anxious genie Irati has been recognized by the Anthean Grand Counsel as an herbal innovator, constantly searching for ways to reprieve illnesses of the mind. On his second week living within kingdom limits, he stumbles upon a bookshop owned by a kind yet slightly aloof dragon shifter. After finding three of the books he’s been looking for during his career, but after asking if any others are coming in soon, he finds out the top tome is on her incoming inventory list—only he doesn’t know he wont be able to pick it up when it comes in. The next day, he’s summoned into a meeting to solve the problem of the diminishing resources. The biggest surprise? He’s now competing against the dragon from the bookshop and the coins necessary to opening the specialty herb shop are on the line.

It doesn’t take Kalinda and Irati long to realize how opposite they are. She’s sunshine and rainbows and he’s more like a rain cloud hovering on a cold day. She reads for fun, whereas he uses books for the information they can give him and nothing more. She’s loud, hot-headed, and thrives in chaos. He’s reserved and quiet, needing organization as much as he needs air to breathe. But when they’re forced to work closely with one another, the irony is not lost on either of them.

Kalinda makes it clear that she’s willing to work together, but there’s still a reluctance Irati seems to be hanging onto with a tight grip. Will he be able to relinquish full control and learn to trust the dragon who is falling head over claws for him? Or will their wishes backfire if they have to say goodbye?