The beloved king of the realm sends Sarn the Sage to defend a distant town, leaving Preem, his naïve young apprentice, to protect the royal family. It’s a ruse so the enemy can send assassins to murder the king that night. Preem hasn’t learned to fly yet, but now he finds himself tossed into the shadowy world of murderers and cutthroats.

If only his master taught him some of the wizard’s weapons, but then no one expected the seventeen-year-old Preem to be asked to fight trained assassins. Even the burly soldiers of the King’s Guard held nothing but contempt for the diminutive teenager. And the twelve-year-old princess only wanted to play with the young man she treated like her personal toy.

The young, infatuated princess is more of a hindrance to Preem than a help. Yet Preem must find a way to protect his king, even if it means laying down his own life.

"The Young Defender"

by Kevin P Hallett