The Lady of the Lake

Divided they'll survive, but united they'll rise

Merlin divided Excalibur to protect the power of the sword until a worthy king was found. She's watched over the guardians of the sword for millennia. Now the world has changed and with it, there is a new evil rising in the form of greed. It's time for a new leader to rise up. But is there anyone that can be trusted to wield the sword?

Liliana hasn't seen the surface world in nearly two thousand years. The last time she saw it, the shores of her new home were clean and the people who fished in her waters were primitive and lived simply. But then a strange shuddering of her watery home woke her. Now she's tasked with finding the person behind the strange vibrations. He may be the next King if she deems him worthy.

Thane is desperate to find the next big treasure. He's been scouring the world for artifacts and has brought up find after find of historically significant items. But that was years ago. It's been a decade since his last great discovery. While staying in the ruins of an ancient castle said to belong to King Arthur, Thane discovers a hidden chamber and an ancient tome. Tracking the legend of Excalibur has brought him full circle, to the shores of Candlewood Lake, Connecticut, not twenty miles from the town he grew up in.

Diving and drilling around the lake brings him face to face with a creature he'd only heard about in legends. The Lady of the Lake isn't anything like he expected. She's breathtaking. Beautiful and ethereal, her dark hair starkly contrasts with her pale skin and her bright blue eyes. And she's one of the legendary merfolk. Even with all his experience, when she approaches him about the ancient kingdom, he can't believe that the truth behind the legends is as real as the woman before him. And both her tale, and her tail, are as captivating as any treasure he's ever sought.

Is Thane worthy to be crowned king? Or is his greed to be back on top too much to overcome? He'll have to prove himself to Liliana as more than a treasure hunter if he hopes to win her trust. If he can secure that, he may just have a chance to win her heart as well.

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Author's Note: "The Lady of the Lake" was originally published as a standalone novel in the Loch Gaoil series.