Can't Fall Back

The invasion has started. Who will stop it?

The doomsday prophet Sasha Sarakshi infects a wormhole and opens a path for the Chosen, alien insects with godlike power. Prince Vespasian Shiraan responds to a call by Lord Giovanni of Istevor to stop the threat to his sectors. The Aura Empire's strongest forces, including Vespasian's rival Duke Caspian Acratani, gather to negotiate their level of commitment. While there, Vespasian learns of a project by Giovanni's daughter, Deirdre. Built of ancient tech, it could hinder the Chosen's approach.

The project fails and summons thousands of Chosen to Istevor territory. Vespasian attempts to lift the siege of four sectors with his special op squad and has to manage a million problems that arise. His mother, the Empress, takes the opportunity to retake the Core worlds, stolen by Caspian. His lieutenant, Rochelle Sarakshi, demands to know why her parents banished Sasha when he was six. Vespasian himself wants to wrest Caspian's supersoldiers from his grip and remove their connections to the Chosen.

Will Vespasian choose his homeworld or the galaxy? Can't Fall Back is the third book in the "Secrets of the Empire" series, with giant robots, bug monsters and the first stage of a galactic war.