The Winds of Khalakovo

The archipelago duchy of Khalakovo, a center of trade and the envy of other island duchies, suffers from internal strife led by the Maharraht, a group of nomadic extremists indigenous to the land. When Nikandr, the heir to the ducal throne, must accept a marriage of convenience to Atiana, daughter of the Duke of Vostroma, he finds it difficult to forsake his lover, a woman of the Aramahn tribe from which the Maharraht have arisen. Tensions reach the breaking point with the arrival of the Nine Dukes, which coincides with an attack by elemental spirits, an assassination, and the appearance of a young boy with unmistakable powers of elemental control. Overlaid with the rich feel of Cyrillic culture, Beaulieu's debut introduces a fascinating world of archipelagic realms and shamanic magic worked primarily by women.