The Xenotime Chronicles

Book excerpt: Vesper Reynolds is heir to House Reynolds—greatest of the seven noble families that serve the Selwyns, the galaxy’s ruling house that’s controlled it for generations. Vesper is also strikingly handsome, an accomplished knight on his home world, Cornill, and is engaged to be married to Bethaney—the beautiful heir to the Von Wincott household. Vesper has secrets, though, that could ruin everything: He is not really in love with Bethaney. He loves someone he is forbidden by law to be with, Sill Selwyn—the son of the Queen of Xenotime and Vesper’s knight in training—with whom he has carried on an illicit affair for years. Vesper hopes not to have to wed Bethaney until it comes time for him to inherit the throne of Cornill. But when a jealous Bethaney learns of Vesper and Sill’s relationship, she exposes it at a royal gala attended by the eight ruling families. Vesper’s father, Alfred, attempts to gloss over the scandal by forcing him to marry Bethaney and forbidding him to see Sill again. Vesper will not accept these things, however. Rather than spend a lifetime of unhappiness with someone he despises, Vesper decides to throw away everything he has ever known and hoped for. He takes Sill and flees Xenotime with him in his starship, promising to marry him rather than Bethaney. Calisti—the ruthless Queen of Xenotime—will not tolerate Vesper and Sill’s actions, though, and pursues them across the galaxy with a garrison of her best knights, intending to execute them as traitors to the kingdom…