Pushcart Prize nominee, Freya Pickard, is the quirky, unusual author of The Kaerling series, an epic fantasy set in the strange and wonderful world of Nirunen. A cancer survivor, she writes mainly dark fantasy tales and creates expressive poetry in order to leach the darkness from her soul. Her aim in life is to enchant, entertain and engage with readers through her writing. She finds her inspiration in the ocean, the moors, beautifully written books and vinyl music (particularly heavy metal and rock). She enjoys Hatha Yoga, Bhangra and Yogalates and in her spare time creates water colours and pastel drawings of the worlds in her head.

Escaping Aura Vere and the kaerlings under cover of the Suryan Exodus, Otta discovers a dark side to her character.

"This story had me feeling close to Otta and I felt her discomfort as though she was my friend." C Birmingham

Otta's internal conflict makes for an uncomfortable journey as her brother Erl finds his loyalties tested to the extreme.

When the twins are banished from the Suryan wagons, they find themselves in a race against time to find the unicorn's trail as one of the kaerlings pursues Otta through her thoughts.

An Ancient Song continues the epic fantasy saga that is The Kaerling.

The Kaerling is a series of linked novellas that can be read individually as well as in chronological order.

Warning: contains scenes of a sexual nature and some violence as well as characters expressing racist attitudes, which some readers may find upsetting.