THE BLACKGUARD is Book #2 in the Groundbreaking series THE BLUE DRAGON'S GEAS, which begins with OUTCAST (Book #1). In THE BLACKGUARD, Alador finds himself in the city of Silverport, the Lerdenian capital. Surrounded by a culture that sees murder as a path to social power, he struggles to find his place. Sent by his uncle, the High Minister of Lerdenia, to the Blackguard, he begins his training as both a soldier and a water mage. The dragon dreams have not stopped and he learns more of the bloodstone he had harvested and what it means for him. Auron, the Trench Lord of Silverport, hates Daezun as he sees them responsible for the death of his mother and being thrown away due to his lack of magic. Having clawed and fought his way to power, he discovers that the High Minister's nephew sits in privelege, a Daezun half-breed. He vows to see to the boy's undoing. Will Alador find the power within himself to survive the cut-throat culture of Silverport? Will he be able to outwit his uncle in a game for power and conquest? Will Auron take out his hatred on the young half-breed before he can become a fully trained battlemage? What of Mesiande left behind in Smallbrook? With its deep insight into characters, THE BLACKGUARD is an epic tale of dragons and magic, friends and lovers, ambition and betrayal, deception and political machinations. It is a tale of fantasy into a world of unique culture. A tale of coming of age the hard way, surrounded by lies and half-truths. "An absolute joy to read, I breezed through it faster than I believed possible! The pacing never faltered, and I feel closer to the characters than ever." Alayna B.