The Innkeeper's Niece

A lone soldier returns home after years of travel and weary from the horrors of war, to serve the will of his king. He quickly learns that not only is a new family living in his childhood home, but he is apparently dead according to his village's elders. The scrawny girl he ignored before he left is now the beauty who is the only person to recognize him on his return.
His amused humor at his awkward homecoming ends abruptly when he stumbles between an ancient order and their plans. He has stumbled onto something that mortals had always scoffed at as mere stories to frighten children. Not only is he caught in the middle but his love is held as key to the order's plans.
The order's plans will test his loyalty, duty and honor in ways he can't imagine or possibly resist. Before he is free to honor his love he must make an impossible decision between loyalty and duty that will shape the kingdom.

(full book +100,000 words)
(this book also has adult content so please read responsibly.)