Blood and Betrayal

Morgan Pendragon's earliest memory is of hiding under her mother's bed, clutching a book of monsters, as her drunken father, King Uther, beats her fae-blooded mother to death. This act of violence is the seed of Morgan's lifelong sense of otherness and loss. Her mother's death is covered up as an accident, and Morgan, marked by her gray hair and subtle fae features, is left with a father who resents her and a court that fears her. The trauma of that day, and the knowledge that her mother's blood is both a gift and a curse, will haunt Morgan and shape her every choice.

The Disinherited Princess

Morgan, once heir to the throne, is cast aside by her father, who legitimizes his son Arthur and dedicates Morgan to the Temple of the Three Sisters. Her fae heritage is deemed too dangerous for Pendrath's future. Morgan's life becomes a liminal existence: not quite royal, not quite priestess, always an outsider. She finds solace in books, training with knights, and the company of her friends Lancelet and Galahad, but the shadow of her lost birthright and the threat of her brother's ambition loom ever larger.

Shadows of the Rose Court

Fifteen years after her mother's death, Morgan navigates a court ruled by her brother Arthur, now king. The Rose Court is a place of beauty and rot, where power is asserted through spectacle and violence. Arthur's rule is marked by paranoia and prejudice, especially against those with fae blood. Morgan's position is precarious: she is both a symbol of the old order and a reminder of the fae's lingering influence. The court's cruelty is laid bare when Arthur executes a fae-blooded boy for theft, using the event to assert his dominance and send a message of fear.

The Poisoned Heir

Morgan is forced to take a mysterious medicine, crafted by her uncle Caspar, that suppresses her fae traits and any potential magic. The medicine leaves her weak, plagued by headaches and pain, but it is the price of safety in a kingdom that fears what she might become. Her uncle claims it is for her own good, but Morgan suspects it is as much about protecting the court from her as it is about protecting her from herself. The medicine becomes a symbol of her constrained identity and the lengths to which the powerful will go to control her.

Night Hunts and New Faces

Seeking purpose and rebellion, Morgan joins secret night hunts with the city's poor, risking Arthur's wrath to help feed the starving. On these hunts, she encounters Kairos Draven, a formidable new recruit to the Royal Guard, whose presence unsettles and intrigues her. Draven's bluntness and strength challenge Morgan's self-perception, while his mysterious past hints at hidden depths. Their encounters are fraught with tension, both antagonistic and electric, setting the stage for a relationship that will test Morgan's loyalties and desires.

The King's Cruel Justice

Arthur's rule grows ever more brutal. He stages public punishments to maintain control, executing a fae-blooded boy on trumped-up charges. Morgan, powerless to intervene, is forced to witness the spectacle, her own position as a fae-blooded royal growing more precarious. The court is a place of masks and betrayals, where even acts of mercy are suspect and the line between justice and cruelty is blurred. Morgan's sense of isolation deepens, and she begins to question whether she can ever truly belong in this world.

The Temple's Secrets

At the Temple of the Three Sisters, Morgan is drawn into the rituals and mysteries of the priesthood. High Priestess Merlin tests her for magic, but Morgan's power remains dormant, suppressed by the medicine. The temple is a place of both solace and suspicion, where ancient mosaics hint at the fae's dual nature—both beautiful and monstrous. Merlin's ambiguous guidance and the temple's hidden history force Morgan to confront the possibility that her destiny is tied to forces far older and darker than she imagined.

The Assassin's Arrival

Kairos Draven, promoted rapidly to captain of the Royal Guard, is revealed to be more than he seems: a legendary assassin known as Void's Edge, infamous for slaughtering a royal family in Rheged. Arthur's decision to send Draven with Morgan on a secret quest is both a threat and a test. Draven's presence is a constant reminder of the dangers that surround Morgan, but also a source of unexpected protection. Their relationship is a dance of suspicion, attraction, and reluctant trust, complicated by the secrets each keeps.

The Masked Ball

At a lavish ball, Morgan glimpses the possibility of another life. She is drawn to Vesper, a charismatic minstrel with fae blood, whose music and charm awaken desires she has long suppressed. The ball is a moment of escape, but also a prelude to betrayal. As Morgan navigates the treacherous politics of the court, she is forced to confront the limits of her agency and the dangers of trusting too easily. The night ends in violence and flight, as Morgan is forced to leave Camelot under cover of darkness.

Poison, Pain, and Predators

Morgan's journey south is marked by hardship and danger. She is poisoned, hunted, and betrayed by those she thought she could trust. Whitehorn, Arthur's agent, enforces the king's will with cruelty, while Draven's true motives remain opaque. The wilds of Cerunnos and the Bloodlands are filled with monstrous creatures—fenrirs, harpies, and worse—testing Morgan's strength and resolve. Along the way, she is forced to confront the reality of her own power, as the suppression of her fae nature begins to falter.

The King's Command

Arthur's true purpose is revealed: he sends Morgan on a quest to retrieve Excalibur, the Blade of Perun, a legendary weapon said to grant invincibility. The sword is hidden in the fae ruins of Valtain, beyond the Bloodlands. Arthur's motives are both political and personal—he seeks to secure his rule and crush his enemies, but also to control the power that Morgan represents. The quest is a test of loyalty, a means of exile, and a potential death sentence. Morgan is accompanied by Draven, Whitehorn, and later Vesper, each with their own agendas.

Into the Wilds

As Morgan travels deeper into the wilds, she is joined by Vesper, whose charm and fae heritage draw her in, and Lancelet, her loyal friend who braves magical portals to catch up. The group is tested by external threats—monsters, mercenaries, and the haunted ruins of the fae—but also by internal divisions. Morgan's suppressed magic begins to surface, manifesting in moments of crisis. The journey becomes as much about self-discovery as it is about the quest for the sword.

The Fae Road

The group follows the fae road, passing through enchanted arches and abandoned cities. The landscape is both beautiful and ominous, filled with reminders of the fae's lost glory and the violence that ended their reign. The arches are revealed to be portals, capable of warping time and space, and hint at the deeper magic that underlies the world. Morgan's connection to the fae grows stronger, her appearance changing as her power awakens. The road is a journey into the past, and into the heart of her own identity.

The Mercenary's Truth

Draven's true nature is revealed: he is not merely a mercenary, but a siabra—a dark fae, marked by horns and claws, exiled from his people. His loyalty is to Morgan, not Arthur, and his desire for the sword is personal. Vesper, too, is unmasked as a traitor, working for Arthur and manipulating Morgan through magic and seduction. The group is torn apart by betrayal, and Morgan is forced to confront the consequences of her trust and the reality of her own power.

The Minstrel's Song

Morgan's relationship with Vesper is a heady mix of passion and deception. His music is revealed to be a form of fae magic, capable of enchanting and manipulating emotions. Their romance is both genuine and illusory, a reflection of Morgan's longing for connection and her vulnerability to those who see her as a means to an end. The truth of Vesper's betrayal is a devastating blow, forcing Morgan to reevaluate her own desires and the nature of love itself.

The Bloodlands

The journey through the Bloodlands is a descent into nightmare. The group is attacked by fenrirs, monstrous wolves, and harpies, and haunted by the ghosts of the fae's violent past. They rescue a mute child, Odelna, whose presence is both a burden and a mystery. The ruins of Valtain are filled with the remnants of a plague that killed only children, a legacy of the fae's civil war. The landscape is a reflection of Morgan's own fractured identity and the trauma that shapes her.

The Child in the Ruins

Odelna, the rescued child, is both a symbol of hope and a harbinger of doom. Her silence and strangeness unsettle the group, and her presence forces Morgan to confront her own capacity for compassion and leadership. The ruins are haunted by the undead children of the fae, victims of a plague unleashed in a war of annihilation. The group is attacked, and Lancelet is dragged away, presumed dead. Draven is forced to choose between saving Morgan and Odelna or rescuing Lancelet, a choice that will haunt them all.

The Plague of Children

In the depths of the ruins, Morgan and Vesper are separated from the others and confronted by the undead children. Morgan's suppressed magic erupts in a moment of crisis, destroying Vesper—who is revealed as a traitor working for Arthur—and saving herself. The cost is high: Morgan is mortally wounded, and the sword is taken by Orcades, a powerful fae queen awakened from her prison. The legacy of the fae's violence is laid bare, and Morgan is left to die, her fate uncertain.

The Sword and the Betrayal

Draven, revealed as a siabra and true fae, finds Morgan dying and bargains with a mysterious crone—Nedola, goddess of fate—for her life. He forges a blood bond with Morgan, saving her and binding their fates together. Orcades escapes with Excalibur, vowing to wage her own war. The quest is both a failure and a transformation: Morgan has lost the sword, but gained her true self and a partner who accepts her for all she is. The story ends with the promise of new battles, new alliances, and the hope that love and power can coexist.

Characters

Morgan Pendragon

Morgan is the daughter of King Uther and a fae-blooded mother, marked from childhood by trauma, loss, and otherness. Disinherited and dedicated to the temple, she is caught between worlds: too fae for the court, too human for the temple, always an outsider. Her journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns to embrace her power, confront her trauma, and claim agency in a world determined to suppress her. Morgan's relationships—with Arthur, Draven, Lancelet, and Vesper—are shaped by her longing for belonging and her fear of betrayal. Her arc is one of transformation: from victim to survivor, from pawn to player, from suppressed to empowered.

Arthur Pendragon

Arthur is Morgan's younger brother, legitimized by their father and raised to rule. His reign is marked by cruelty, paranoia, and a deep-seated fear of the fae. Arthur's need for control leads him to suppress Morgan, execute those with fae blood, and pursue the power of Excalibur at any cost. He is both a product and perpetuator of trauma, shaped by his father's violence and his own insecurities. Arthur's relationship with Morgan is fraught: he both fears and needs her, seeing her as both a threat and a tool. His arc is a cautionary tale of power corrupted by fear.

Kairos Draven

Draven is introduced as a mysterious, formidable recruit to the Royal Guard, quickly revealed to be the infamous assassin Void's Edge. His true nature is that of a siabra—a dark fae, exiled and marked by horns and claws. Draven is both enemy and ally, protector and potential killer. His relationship with Morgan is a slow-burn of suspicion, attraction, and reluctant trust, complicated by his own secrets and the blood bond they ultimately share. Draven's arc is one of redemption and acceptance: he chooses love and loyalty over power, risking everything to save Morgan.

Vesper

Vesper is a charismatic, musically gifted part-fae who enchants Morgan with his song and seduction. Beneath his charm lies a calculating survivor, working for Arthur and manipulating Morgan through fae magic. Vesper's betrayal is both personal and political: he is motivated by a mix of self-preservation, ambition, and genuine affection. His arc is a mirror to Morgan's: both are shaped by the need to hide, the longing for connection, and the danger of trusting in a world that punishes difference.

Lancelet

Lancelet is Morgan's closest friend and confidante, a female knight in a world that marginalizes both women and those who love outside the norm. She is bold, brash, and fiercely loyal, risking everything to follow Morgan through magical portals and into the heart of danger. Lancelet's arc is one of sacrifice and resilience: she is willing to face death for her friend, and her fate is a testament to the costs of loyalty in a world at war.

Odelna / Nedola

Odelna is a mysterious, silent child rescued from a massacre in the Bloodlands. She is later revealed to be a vessel for Nedola, the goddess of fate, who tests Draven and Morgan and ultimately intervenes to save Morgan's life. Odelna/Nedola is a symbol of innocence lost, the burden of care, and the power of destiny. Her presence forces the characters to confront the limits of agency and the role of the divine in mortal affairs.

Merlin

Merlin is the enigmatic High Priestess of the Temple of the Three Sisters, a figure of wisdom, power, and ambiguity. She tests Morgan, guides her, and ultimately intervenes to send Lancelet after her. Merlin's motives are complex: she seeks to protect the realm, preserve the old ways, and guide Morgan toward her destiny. She is both ally and manipulator, a reminder that even the wise are not free from the temptations of power.

Caspar Starweaver

Caspar is Morgan's uncle and the royal apothecary, responsible for crafting the medicine that suppresses her fae traits. He is both protector and jailer, motivated by a mix of love, fear, and loyalty to the throne. Caspar's actions are a microcosm of the court's attitude toward the fae: a desire to control, suppress, and contain what is feared. His arc is one of complicity and regret.

Florian Emrys

Florian is the son of Arthur's advisor, a handsome, privileged noble who torments and assaults Morgan. He is a symbol of the court's corruption, the dangers faced by women, and the impunity of the powerful. Florian's fate—killed by Morgan in self-defense—marks a turning point in her journey from victim to survivor.

Orcades

Orcades is the fae queen imprisoned beneath the lake in Meridium, awakened by Morgan's blood. She is both benefactor and threat, granting Morgan the sword but cursing her with memory and unleashing new dangers upon the world. Orcades is a reminder of the fae's dual nature: beautiful and monstrous, generous and vengeful.

Plot Devices

Suppression and Awakening of Power

Morgan's fae heritage is suppressed by a daily potion, symbolizing the court's fear of the other and the lengths to which society will go to control what it cannot understand. The gradual withdrawal from the medicine parallels Morgan's journey toward self-acceptance and empowerment. Her magic, dormant and feared, erupts in moments of crisis, both saving and endangering her. The motif of suppressed power is mirrored in the political suppression of the fae and other marginalized groups.

The Quest Structure

The novel follows a classic quest structure: Morgan is sent on a journey to retrieve a magical sword, accompanied by allies and enemies, facing external monsters and internal demons. The quest is both literal and metaphorical: a journey into the wilds, into the past, and into the self. Each stage of the journey tests Morgan's strength, loyalty, and identity, culminating in a confrontation with the legacy of the fae and the reality of her own power.

Betrayal and Shifting Allegiances

The story is driven by betrayals: Arthur's betrayal of Morgan and the fae, Vesper's betrayal of Morgan's trust, Draven's ambiguous loyalties. The shifting alliances force Morgan to question whom she can trust, and to recognize the dangers of both naivety and cynicism. The motif of betrayal is mirrored in the fae's own history, the civil war that destroyed their civilization

Last updated: May 20, 2025