The Cracked Altar

A Missing Princess. A City under Siege. A Compendium of the Blackest Sorcery. The Grand Mage of Caragol is the most dangerous man in the realm, so when Kerstin steals his spellbook right out of his tower she lights up a firestorm of trouble. His fury rages through the city of Klomm. Houses burn. Innocents lie slaughtered in the streets. Yet countless lives are a petty sum for such a great deal of power. With the spellbook, Kerstin can contend with the unspeakable horrors conjured by the Grand Mage. But she is dancing on a spider's thread. Meanwhile on the other side of the kingdom, fifteen-year-old Hinkle walks a tightrope of her own, spinning a web of dangerous lies around her new master, Sir Gilkrist of Lothellae. When Sir Gilkrist’s quest brings them to Klomm, she discovers the secrets she’s been hiding are darker than she ever imagined. A diabolical scheme threatens to engulf the world in shadow and blood - and it has everything to do with her Aunt Kerstin. But can Sir Gilkrist help her ... or will he devise a dark purpose of his own? What to expect: - Old-school medieval fantasy with a nit of a dark edge (not grimdark) - Knights, witches, princesses, nuns, magic, monsters, and political intrigue - Moral agency - Soft Magic - Chapters ranging from 1,500–4,500 words - 2 chapters every day, one morning and one evening - A completed 4-book series. I'm posting the entire series to Royal Road, start to finish, for free. Want to read ahead? The complete Cracked Altar series is already available in ebook and print editions at timothyjrrains.com.  Prefer to listen? The complete audiobook series is also available free on Youtube. There's a videogame!?  Indeed, my friend. I'm currently developing a visual novel based on this series, Maidendawn, under my indie game label Nightchapel Productions. Add it to your wishlist on Steam.