The Rise of Shadows

The Stonecrusher Chronicles

In the shadowed underbelly of a forgotten metropolis, Robert Novak's berserker rage simmers just beneath the surface.

Fleeing Chicago with his fierce Valkyrie mentor Sigrun, Robert seeks allies in a hidden enclave of warriors dwelling in abandoned subway tunnels. Sparks fly between them—stolen glances, unspoken tension—but both are blind to their mutual longing, convinced the other feels nothing.

Joined by Fomorian giant Kael and enigmatic Marcus Okonkwo, they confront a deadly new foe: Vesper Nyxborne's shadow-shifting faction, hell-bent on eradicating all rival bloodlines. Backed by trafficking kingpin Dimitri Volkov, Vesper hunts the World-Tree Fragment—an artifact that could stabilize their primal powers... or corrupt them into monsters forever.

As syndicate mercenaries and shadow beasts close in, team fractures emerge. Destroy the artifact or wield its power? Robert must embrace his destiny as the Stonecrusher to save his found family—and the woman who's captured his heart without knowing it.

From Ronald Hajek comes a pulse-pounding urban fantasy epic of mythic fury, slow-burn romance, and a race against eternal darkness.