Oswald had found peace. But now he must fight for the throne. The kingdom lies undefended. Cadwallon and Penda, the kings of Gwynedd and Mercia, ravage the land. Oswald has a rightful claim to the throne, but he is sick of bloodshed; in his heart he longs to lay down his sword and join the monks of Iona. However the abbot of Iona does not need another monk; the abbot wants a warrior king to spread the new faith. He must reignite Oswald's hunger for glory and rnown, for gold and power and the homage of men. If he does, will it destroy Oswald?

Edoardo Albert is a copywriter, editor and writer of short stories, features and books. His stories have appeared in Daily Science Fiction and Ancient Paths, and he has written features for Time Out, TGO and History today. He was the editor of the Time Out Cycle London Guide. He is the author of Northumbria: a lost Kingdom (History Press), The Northumbrian Thrones series (Lion Fiction), and London: A Spiritual History (Lion Books).