Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.

Leia Illyria, Duchess of Amareth, and her family have kept away from court since she was little, for reasons she doesn't fully understand - in Myaengaer, where magic has been banned for two hundred years, Leia possesses extraordinary power. When a mysterious and evil threat that has lain dormant for two centuries begins to rise again, Leia learns a secret which forces her to confront her hidden self, with the help of Prince Caleth, heir to the throne of Myaengaer and leader of the Myaen Guard. Working together, they must face down the evil that threatens to destroy the kingdom, the land and their lives.

Not the most upbeat poem you'll ever read, it conveys some feelings I've gone through at different stages of my life in metaphors.