{"product_id":"9780063345751","title":"The Nightward","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSturgeon, Nebula, Locus, and Ignyte awards finalist R.S.A. Garcia’s scifantasy debut novel—the first in a duology—in which Caribbean mythology meets \u003cem\u003eThe Witcher\u003c\/em\u003e, introduces a world where women warrior-magicians rule, and a child princess and her bodyguard must flee an attempted coup and evade the wave of darkness sent to kill her.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor 500 years Gaiea’s Hand has stood as a ward against the Dark. The Age of Chaos is a faded memory. The Goddess has left Gailand and given her Blessing to the Queens to rule in her stead.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrincess Viella of the court of Hamber is the Spirit of Gaiea, presumptive heir to the throne and budding wielder of magic. And yet she’s still a child—not yet ten years old—and a day spent evading her teachers and her dutiful bodyguard, Luka, is much more satisfying than learning about telepathy, illusions, and other spells, or obeying even her mother, the Queen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is time enough…until there isn’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the night the Queen hosts the Ceremony to confirm Viella as the next Hand of Gaiea, everything changes for her—in the most horrific way imaginable: the assassination of Viella’s mother.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow Viella is Queen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLuka, despite resenting his position as royal babysitter, does not hesitate. He rushes his charge from the Court and vows to keep her safe. Yet he is unsure how to help a burgeoning Hand of Gaiea, let alone contend with his place as a man in a matriarchal world \u003cem\u003eand \u003c\/em\u003ethe secret that is burning inside him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTogether, they are on the run from darkness in a world where the lines between magic and technology are blurring and it’s up to a child and her protector to bring clarity and light back to the Queendom.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R.S.A. Garcia","offers":[{"title":"HarperCollins |  Paperback \/ softback  |  2024-10-15","offer_id":45690157039871,"sku":"9780063345751","price":24.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0329\/9075\/7001\/files\/BNCImageAPI_ad6e9f76-c3a8-451c-95e4-5bba09caf801.jpg?v=1717962484","url":"https:\/\/riverbookshop.com\/products\/9780063345751","provider":"River Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}