The King Beneath — Amy Pease

Every legend begins with an impossible choice.A myth-shrouded cave.A king on the brink of ruin.44 BC, in the shadowed forests of ancient Dacia: King Burebista faces an empire-hungry Rome and a prophecy older than his crown. Guided by his enigmatic high priest, he enters the Mouth of the World—a cave containing a portal said to open only when the heavens align. What he finds is neither salvation nor surrender but a bargain with the stars themselves… and the birth of an immortal Watcher cursed to stand guard until the Ascension Eclipse returns.Blending portal fantasy with the sweep of historical epic, The King Beneath is a swift, atmospheric novella that uncovers the first spark of the legend at the heart of the upcoming gothic time-travel romance trilogy beginning with The Stars Beneath. Read it as a stand-alone tale of betrayal, sacrifice, and celestial magic—or glimpse the lore that will one day propel a modern scholar through time and into the path of a cursed immortal hero.Perfect for fans of myth-rich historical fantasy and readers seeking a short, vivid adventure set far from the familiar roads of Rome, this origin story opens the gate to a world where eclipses bend reality, devotion demands the ultimate price, and destiny is written in starlight and blood.