Story

Amina bint Rashid—strategist, diplomat, and daughter of a powerful coastal merchant—receives a salt-sealed summons from the desert city of Al-Qarah, where the ruler has died without an heir. Accepting means risking her life; refusing means risking the stability of the entire region.

Her escort is Jamal al-Kadir, a former bandit spared from execution only because the desert kills slower. Together they must navigate sabotage, ambushes, hallucinatory heat, and the political powder keg awaiting them in Al-Qarah—where a violent claimant has already seized a quarter of the city.

As alliances fracture and prophecy, power, and loyalty collide, Amina and Jamal must decide not just how to survive—but what kind of future they are willing to fight for.

What Makes This Story Unique

• A desert-fantasy inspired by North African and Arabian history, but built from the ground up as its own world.
• A political and character-driven narrative centered on legitimacy vs. survival.
• A partnership between two flawed people—one raised in privilege, the other in violence—forced to redefine what honor means.
• Magic is subtle, atmospheric, and rooted in environment rather than spectacle.

How Readers Can Help Shape the Draft

Your support will help refine:

• Which character arcs resonate most strongly
• What worldbuilding elements you want expanded
• Which factions, myths, or side characters deserve deeper exploration
• How dark, political, or action-heavy the final draft should become

Backing the project helps transform this early draft into a richer, more immersive final novel.