of gems and stone (Borne by blood, book 1)

Desnia is the best thief in Calentine—unfortunately for her. Shackled by debt to a ruthless master, her every heist serves his ambitions. Freedom feels like a distant dream until one mission threatens to unravel everything she thought she could endure. How far will she go to take back her life?

Delvan, a young knight gifted with the King’s borrowed power, has lived in the comfort of privilege. But when a routine assignment takes him to Calentine’s slums, he’s plunged into a world of deceit and maleficence he can barely comprehend. Stripped of his certainty, he must grapple with a fight that could cost him everything.

Beneath their struggles lies a deeper game. Shadowy factions vie for control, pulling strings from the darkness. Mages of a forgotten era see the thief and knight as pawns in their bid to restore dominance. But they’re not the only ones shaping the battlefield.

A priest, underestimated by his oppressor, harbors knowledge that could unravel their schemes. A pair of bickering brothers, armed with wit and resourcefulness, stumble into dangerous truths that may alter the balance. And at the heart of it all, choices that should be simple reveal themselves as treacherous gambles.

As alliances shift and threats loom, Desnia and Delvan face a grim decision: protect themselves or fight to stop the desolation of their world. In this web of power, where trust is fragile and every choice carries risk, they must ask themselves which side their actions truly serve—and whether it’s the right one.