In a city divided by deception and hidden truths, two figures stand at the forefront of a battle that will change everything. Dahlia, the misunderstood vigilante, is determined to bring justice to her city despite being painted as a villain. Eiza, the beloved hero, has carefully constructed a facade of righteousness while secretly manipulating those he swore to protect.
As their paths collide, secrets unravel, and the lines between hero and villain blur. Eiza's grip on his false identity begins to slip, exposing the darkness beneath his shining armor. Dahlia fights not only against Eiza but also against a society that refuses to see the truth behind the lies.
With tension escalating and betrayal lurking around every corner, both Dahlia and Eiza face a heart-breaking revelation: their fates are more intertwined than they ever imagined. Eiza discovers that his supposed nemesis, Dahlia, is just a teenager, fighting a battle far greater than anyone realized. In the end, regret fills the air as they both fall, leaving behind a city grappling with the loss of its flawed protectors.
*Behind The Mask* is a tragic tale of mistaken identities, hidden motives, and the devastating consequences of living behind the masks we wear. It explores the delicate balance between good and evil and reminds us that sometimes, the true heroes are the ones who are never seen.
Hated by the people she's sworn to protect, dragon rider Neely Lynch searches for her stolen dragon while struggling to control the dark powers inside her.
*****
After the Culling of Naughton -- a horrific slaughter that led to the murder of several dragon riders and the destruction of two separate armies -- Neely Lynch is on the warpath. Unbeknownst to most, Neely and her friends survived the Culling and are determined to reunite with their kidnapped dragons at any cost (even if that means leaving a trail of broken and bloody bodies behind them). But finding her dragon soon becomes the least of her problems when Neely discovers her disappearance after the Culling has only added to her reputation as the infamous Vidalin Rider. Hated and scorned by the people she's sworn to protect, Neely must find a way to prove she's not the villain everyone thinks she is before her dark and deadly powers, which are slowly growing beyond her control, transform her into the very thing she's trying not to be.
[The Rider's Legend can be read as Book 3 in The Rider series, or as a standalone -- but note that it will spoil Book 1 and 2]
[[word count: 150,000-200,000 words]]