The Rust-Eater's Elegy

Zviad Khasav is a man hollowed out by grief. Once a celebrated member of the Khevsur Guard, he now lives for one purpose: to find and kill the architects of the bombing that took his partner's life. His only clue is a name whispered in the aftermath - Dadiani. So when he stumbles upon a Dadiani assassination attempt in progress, he intervenes on a bitter whim, saving the target, a disgraced and perpetually unimpressed young woman named Ketevan. By saving her, Zviad unwittingly binds himself to the last heir of a fallen dynasty, a woman whose blood holds the key to the 'Unity', a legendary power capable of commanding the very land. Hunted by her own powerful clan, Ketevan needs a protector to reach a hidden sanctuary of loyalists. Zviad needs a Dadiani puppet to get his revenge. Trapped together by circumstance, they navigate a treacherous world of courtly intrigue and hidden magic, neither trusting the other. But as they peel back the layers of the conspiracy, Zviad realizes Ketevan is not a pawn in his game - she is the game itself, and the true enemy may be the one offering them salvation. Can a man fueled by vengeance protect a legacy he doesn't believe in?