World of the Forgotten: Book One - Signed Paperback

Oliver wakes in darkness with no memory of who he is—only a name and a gut-deep certainty that everything familiar has been ripped away. When he steps through a magical portal into the breathtaking realm of Cindersea, he discovers he’s not alone. Dozens of other memory-less young people stand beside him, each chosen by mysterious forces to become champions in a world teetering on the edge of ruin.

To survive, Oliver must join the Royal Scouting Brigade and train in magic, battle, and survival. But he’s no warrior—he becomes a cleric, healing from the back lines, trying to find purpose in a world that already feels like it’s slipping through his fingers.

Then he meets Sky—an Animaru druid with wolf ears, a sharp tongue, and secrets carved into every muscle of his battle-scarred body. Their connection is instant, electric, and forbidden. Sky wants nothing to do with anyone... and yet Oliver can’t stay away.

As danger creeps ever closer and whispers of forbidden magic stir in the shadows, Oliver must choose: cling to safety and anonymity, or embrace a power within him darker—and more dangerous—than he ever imagined. Because in Cindersea, healing comes with a cost, love is a risk, and some memories were lost for a reason.

World of the Forgotten drips with slow-burn tension, grumpy/sunshine chemistry, forced proximity, reluctant soulmates, magical portals, memory loss, forbidden magic, monster-slaying missions, and a dangerously hot wolf-eared druid who might just ruin the cleric's innocence—if the world doesn’t burn first.

Excerpt from Chapter Four:

I was so caught up in my daydreaming about what I’d learn at the guild that I didn’t notice a man step in front of me until it was too late. With a muffled cry, I ran right into him, sending us both toppling to the stone path below in a tangle of limbs.
“I’m so sorry!” I sputtered, scrambling to disentangle myself from the stranger. As I looked up, I found myself staring into a pair of piercing blue eyes. The man’s face was angular, with high cheekbones and a strong jaw. His dark hair fell in soft waves around his face, framing it like a halo.
“You should be,” he said roughly, his voice hardly more than a growl. He stood up gracefully, not offering a hand as he stared down at me. “You must be new to the city. Newbies never watch where they’re going.”
I nodded, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise to my cheeks as I scrambled back to my feet. “Yes, I just arrived a couple days ago. My friends and I formed a party. I’m trying to find a guild so I can get my first skill.”
He rolled his eyes. “I don’t care.”
“The Cleric Guild,” I added, showing him the coin in my hand despite his lack of interest. “It’s probably the only one I’m…” My voice trailed off as my eyes tilted upward. Until that moment, I hadn’t noticed one very odd detail about the stranger.
He had wolf ears.
“You…” I said, pointing upward. “Your ears…”
“What about them?” he growled, baring what looked like a pair of fangs. “You gonna say something about my tail too?”
“N-No! I just—”
I stammered, taken aback by his aggressive response. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend. I’ve just never seen anyone with... with...”
“Animal features?” he finished for me, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Welcome to Cindersea, kid. You’ll see plenty more like me around here.”
I blinked, trying to process this new information. “So, there are others? With different animal ears?”
The wolf-man sighed, his ears twitching in irritation. “Yes, we’re called Animaru. It’s an advanced form of druid that you obviously haven’t bothered to learn about. Some have ears, some have tails, some have both.” He dusted his hands off, as if he were finished with me. “There’s your free lesson. Now, if you’re done gawking, I have places to be.”
He turned to leave, but something made me call out. “Wait! I’m Oliver. What’s your name?”
He paused, glancing back at me with those intense blue eyes that sent a shiver down my spine. Was I scared of him? Turned on? Maybe both? I felt like I was suddenly learning a lot of things about myself all at once, things I hadn’t thought of since I woke up on the other side of the portal.
“Sky,” he grunted after a moment’s hesitation. “And don’t go thinking we’re friends now just because I told you my name.”
I nodded quickly, not wanting to upset him further. “Of course not. I just... I’m new here, like you said. I don’t know much about this place or the people in it. I’d like to learn more, if you have the time.”
Sky’s ears twitched again, but this time it seemed more out of curiosity than annoyance. He studied me for a long moment, his piercing gaze making me feel exposed and vulnerable. It made parts of me stir that I hadn’t yet had the chance to address.
“You really are clueless, aren’t you?” he finally said, his tone softening slightly. “Look, kid, Cindersea isn’t exactly a friendly place for newcomers. You’d do well to stick with your guild and your party. Nobody else is gonna give you the time of day.”
I felt a pang of disappointment at his words, but I couldn’t deny the truth in them. Still, something about Sky intrigued me, drew me in despite his gruff exterior.
“I understand,” I said, trying to keep the dejection out of my voice. “But maybe... maybe we could talk again sometime? I’d love to learn more about the Animaru, and about Cindersea in general.”
It was a long shot, and I knew that. But I felt so drawn to him. There was this strange pull in the pit of my stomach, a fluttering feeling that made me want to be near him and took my breath away at the same time.
Sky’s tail twitched, and for a moment I thought I saw a flicker of interest in those blue eyes. But then his scowl deepened, and he shook his head.
“Listen, Oliver,” he said, my name sounding oddly pleasant in his gruff voice. “You seem... annoyingly decent. But trust me, you don’t want to get mixed up with someone like me. Stick to your Cleric Guild, heal your friends, and stay out of my way. Being too nice in this world gets people killed.”
I watched Sky walk away, his dark tail swishing behind him as he disappeared into the bustling crowd. My heart was racing, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we had a connection. Despite his warnings, I found myself hoping our paths would cross again. It was odd and sudden… but I couldn’t help the warm feelings swirling in my chest.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I resumed my journey to the Cleric Guild. The cobblestone streets were alive with activity, filled with people of all shapes and sizes. Now that I knew to look for them, I noticed a handful of other Animaru among the crowd - some with feline ears, others with scales glinting in the sunlight. There was quite a variety amongst them, but not very many of them in Selas. I found myself wondering if they were rare or maybe there just weren’t that many druids. The more I thought about it, the more I realized Sky was right. I really didn’t know anything about Cindersea or its people. I hoped the Cleric Guild would help with that because the RSB guards didn’t seem to want to speak with any of the newcomers for longer than they had to.
As I approached the guild hall, a sense of nervous excitement washed over me. The building was impressive, its white stone walls adorned with intricate carvings of healing hands and holy symbols. At the peak of the building was a tall golden statue of a male figure, his hands wide as if he were about to take off and fly. Robes flowed around him, rushing back like a gust wind had caught him.
Finally peeling my eyes away, I ascended the steps until I came to the front door of the guild. I took a deep breath, clutching my gold coin tightly, and pushed open the heavy wooden doors.