Book Title: Young King Arthur and the Round Table Knights
Author: Siryn Sueng
Publisher: Deep Hearts YA
Release Date: September 18, 2020
Genre/s: Fantasy, M/M YA Romance
Trope/s: First Love, Arthurian Legend
Themes: Coming of Age, Knights
Length: 68 322 words/ 270 pages
Buy Links
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Arthur grew up a peasant, but when he was fourteen, Excalibur chose him, and now as King Arthur, he must learn to play the game of royalty quickly … or suffer the consequences.
Blurb
There was no reason for Arthur to think he would ever become king.
A peasant and son of a baker, Arthur grew up in the castle town of Camelot. When he attended the choosing ceremony, it was merely to see who would draw the Holy Sword, Excalibur – to see who would inherit the throne of the recently departed King Uther. He never expected the sword would choose him…
But it did.
Now, at the young age of fourteen, he has become King Arthur, and for all the power he has gained, he has made just as many enemies. Surrounded by the Knights of the Round Table, and led by the mysterious mage, Merlin, Arthur is grateful for his allies, though he would just as soon return to his old life. Surely, someone more worthy should be chosen as king.
Arthur is in the middle of chaos, a world where everyone wants more than they let on, where many hate the idea of a young boy with no noble background being crowned king; where cold stares and whispered words are just as sharp as an assassin’s blade.
As Arthur fends for his life, he must draw on the strength of his knights, especially fifteen-year-old Mordred, who becomes closer to him than the mere bounds of duty. He must become king, not just in name, but in his heart.
And he must do it quickly, because his enemies want more than just his crown…
Cold steel slid across my shoulder. The flat of the blade was heavy on me, but the sharp edges were what scared me most.
Behind me, Sir Lancelot had unsheathed his weapon. The pointed end was now pressed against Illian’s throat. The blade drew a faint speck of crimson from underneath my cousin’s chin.
“Release him,” Lancelot demanded. His tone sent chills spiraling down my back, when all I’d seen was gentleness from him thus far. I hadn’t thought him capable of such a cold, deadly voice.
“It would be in your best interest to do as you’re told, young man,” Merlin added. “Your King wanted to see you. His kindness is being repaid by your hatred. How cruel of you.”
Illian scoffed. His grip tightened on my arm. “Kindness? This little bastard has never shown any kindness toward me.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Gawain said, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if he throws you under the guillotine after this.”
My heart hammered in my ears. The pain in my shoulder was crippling. I couldn’t get a good hold to pry free my cousin’s other hand as it gripped my throat. The most I managed was to scratch him. Lancelot kept his blade pressed against Illian’s throat and I did what I could to not move too much. Illian’s snarling face was a painting of hatred as he glared at me and the knights.
I knew I had to do something to break this stalemate, but I couldn’t think properly. I couldn’t move without agony lancing along my shoulder to my chest. I didn’t want Illian to be killed right here, but I couldn’t figure a way out of my situation that didn’t involve him dying.
This was so unfitting of a king. To be nearly strangled in the grip of a man behind bars. It was pathetic. I winced as I pulled at his hand still, my voice strangled under the pressure of my cousin’s hateful fingers.
“Illian…please…” My words only seemed to infuriate him more. I cried out in pain as he pulled me closer, my head tilted back, chin against the cold metal of his cell.
A flash caught my eye, a glint of reflected firelight. At first, I didn’t know what it was. Then Mordred was next to me, his knife driven clean through Illian’s wrist. The iron grip on my throat released, as well as the hold on my other arm.
My cousin’s howl of pain echoed in the dungeons.
I stumbled away from the cell, wrapping my good hand gingerly around my throat. My other arm hung numbly at my side. How I remained standing was a mystery.
The first gasp of clean air burned like fire down into my lungs. Thanks to the cell bars, he’d never gotten a clean hold, otherwise I was certain I’d have been dead already, or at the very least, unconscious.
Mordred was at my side. His touch incurred a hard flinch from me. I stepped away from him without meaning to. I watched his gaze widen in shock. I didn’t care, though. I was too shaken.
And I wanted nothing more to do with being King.
Siryn Sueng is a writer of fantasy, paranormal, and even Sci-Fi genres. She’s married to a wonderful husband with a minion of two years. They have a full house with three adorable fur babies, Anubis -the mighty cat hunter- Kida -the momma bear- and Mishka -the loveable husky-.
Siryn is a lover of games on a wide range of platforms. She plays on the PC, console, and hand-held devices including the phone. Japan is where she would love to visit sometime and is a huge inspiration to many of her projects. She’s a huge fan of Japan, including manga and anime. Siryn has even begun to dabble in comic/manga script writing. Future works in this will be posted on WebToon.
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