The Unexpected Heir · A Tale of Alus

As Lady Annalicia and her cousin prepare to join the other wizards from Malaiy to journey to distant Southwall and the Winter's Edge tournament, a tournament to test the wizards from around the world; seeds of unrest can be heard on the streets of the capitol city. Men in red robes shout to remove their king worrying the royal family. Leaving the trouble behind, Annalicia leaves the rest of her family behind to deal with the Brothers of the Blood and their strange vendetta against the king.

Her father, Philip, is left to help his king as strange fires and deaths seem to be targeting the king and his city. As one of the king's closest advisors, the Master of Coin soon finds himself working to spy on this cult, who preach helping the poor but seem intent on harming anyone else.

Living among the brothers, Karlaan follows his master hoping to one day become king. The bastard son of Malaiy's king, his mother was driven away from the kingdom to raise her son. After finding the brothers, their leader Caldrefan sees the boy as his opportunity to wrest the kingdom away from the king for reasons of his own.

The Unexpected Heir tells of the Royal family of Malaiy and the threat to their way of life as the Brothers of the Blood seek to change not only the country but the rest of the world. Following their storm god, will their church defeat the state of men and how far will they go to do it? Will Annalicia's travels be the answer to whether her family will win or lose?