Bloodguard

Leith of Grey crosses into the Kingdom of Arrow and signs up as a gladiator, certain that arena winnings will pay to save his dying sister. He has nothing else to lose, or so he believes. The tournaments are brutal, only the strongest survive, and the arena takes his hope, his freedom and his sense of himself as a man.

Years of fighting leave Leith with a scarred body and a rage that keeps him alive one fight at a time. Then he meets Maeve, an elven princess and exactly the kind of person he despises. She offers him a way out: a chance to win the title of Bloodguard, and with it his freedom.

The offer carries a cost. The kingdom runs on secrets and lies, and Leith has little reason to trust anyone who holds power in it. Revenge is what he wants, and it will not come cheap.

Elves and magical creatures fill this arena fantasy, which pairs a romance with brutal combat. The contest spans a hundred years and tens of thousands of fighters, and only one will win.

Reading it means violence, a bitter and angry hero, and a steamy love story. The HOLT Medallion named it a 2025 finalist in speculative romance, and Leith's hold on the truth keeps slipping.