After the Rift

From multi-USA Today bestselling author C.J. Archer comes this captivating new fantasy featuring court intrigue, power struggles, a strong heroine, and a slow-burn romance. The king's magnificent palace was built in a matter of weeks. No one saw the builders, no villagers are allowed beyond the gilded gate, and only one servant has ever left. The haunted look in her eyes as she was recaptured by the palace guards is something Josie, daughter of the village doctor, has never forgotten. For Josie, the palace is a mystery that grows more intriguing after she meets the captain of the guards, a man known only as Hammer, as mysterious and captivating as the palace itself. Whispers of magic fuel Josie's desire to uncover the truth, but an ordinary girl like her can only dream of ever being invited inside. When the king decides to take a wife from among the eligible daughters of the noble families, the palace gates are finally thrown open and the kingdom's elite pour in. In a court where old rivalries and new jealousies collide, the king's favorite is poisoned and the doctor is summoned. As her father's assistant, Josie finally sees inside the lavish walls, but she soon learns the palace won't surrender its secrets easily, for not a single resident, from the lowest servant to the king himself, has a memory from before the palace existed. In the search for the truth, Josie is drawn deeper into danger, and the answers she seeks might shake the very foundations of the kingdom.

When a palace maid is attacked, Josie and the captain of the guards investigate together. Since one of the suspects is a foreign diplomat and magic expert, they use the opportunity to learn more about sorcery. But it soon becomes clear that he is using them to get to the truth about the palace and the servants' origins. With unrest in the village, and servants growing impatient for answers, an undercurrent of danger pervades the air. But the most dangerous man of all may prove to be the king himself, because every clue points to him knowing more than he lets on. As tensions both in and out of the glittering Glancian court rise, the heat between the captain and Josie is a distraction. But is it a welcome one?

When the husband of the king's mistress is poisoned, Josie must pretend he died of natural causes, or risk putting her own life in danger. It's yet another secret she must learn to keep, yet another intrigue whispered about in the gilded halls of King Leon's mysterious palace. With her enemies intent on ruining her, Josie needs all the friends she can get. Friends that include the captain of the guards, a man determined to find out about his past before he gives in to desire. As the captain becomes more certain that magic stole the servants' memories, some very powerful people also hear the whispers of magic and begin to wonder. With rivals from several quarters closing in on the truth, events are set in motion that could change the course of the kingdom, and see the palace servants and Josie lose everything.

A warrior priest sworn to an oath of celibacy, and a spy fleeing from her past. A magical mystery, a forbidden temptation and a destiny they cannot escape.
 Jacqueline (Jac) has survived on the streets ever since escaping from the clutches of her ruthless uncle, the city's powerful governor. He craves more than political influence and believes a legendary talisman in Jac's possession can give it to him. 
 To survive, Jac has honed her skills as a thief, catching the eye of Rhys Mayhew, a brother in an order of warrior priests. Rhys enlists her as a spy, and their partnership soon deepens into more. But Rhys's faith demands strict adherence to oaths of denial, and when he is unexpectedly elevated to the position of master of his order, he faces an impossible choice: his duty or his growing attraction to Jac.
 As her uncle's net tightens, Jac seizes a chance to become an assassin's apprentice, leaving the city for months of grueling training. When she returns, much has changed-except the forbidden nature of her bond with Rhys.
 When her uncle learns of her return, Jac's life is in grave danger, forcing her and Rhys to unite. Together they unravel the secrets of the talisman and confront dangers both old and new. But the greatest danger of all is to Rhys's loyalty, as resisting Jac becomes more difficult with every passing day. 
 NOTE: Although this book is set in the same world as the AFTER THE RIFT series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone without having read that series first.