Intrigue Stories

He woke in a dying empire. And he remembered everything. Michael Jameston, a 55-year-old American silkscreen craftsman and executive, finds himself in the crumbling shadow of Byzantium-inhabiting the body of Constantine Palaiologos, Despot of Morea. With modern knowledge and a lifetime of hard-earned pragmatism, he must navigate medieval warfare, religious schisms, and imperial decay to rewrite history. Can one man change the fate of an empire? What to Expect: Strategic Isekai - No system. No magic. Just realism and grit. Empire-building in a grounded 15th-century Byzantine setting Military campaigns, diplomacy, and court intrigue Multiple POVs, with a central focus on the MC's rise Believable, slow technological progression Based on deep historical research - real names, real places, real stakes 2-3k word chapters released every Monday and Thursday Currently 14 chapters ahead on Patreon If you enjoy alternate history, grounded strategy, or kingdom building, Empire Rewritten is for you.

When Gloria, a young girl from a noble family is taken to the imperial harem, she knows her life will never be the same. She must navigate the dangerous world of the Topkapi Palace, where beauty is both a weapon and a curse. Surrounded by envious concubines, she quickly learns that survival means more than just obedience - it requires intelligence, charm, and a willingness to play the deadly game of court intrigue. But when she catches the attention of the Sultan himself, she becomes a target in the harem's endless battle for power.

Have you ever had one of those terrible yet annoyingly pivotal moments? You know, that monumental fragment of time that flips everything you have ever known. That plot twist second that completely takes you by surprise. The one just before the storm hits and everything goes to hell. Yes? Because you see, that moment happens to be my whole damn life. It wasn't always like this though. I used to have a pretty mundane existence, happy to just get good grades and be around my friends. God I wish I could get that simplicity back, I'd never complain it was boring again. But I know I'm not going to ever get back my old life because well... I died. (Kinda) But I woke up. And I was thrilled, beyond grateful I wasn't dead. But then I realized that there was one minor detail that had changed about my reality. I was given the chance to live but it turns out I woke up as the villainess in an otome game my friend used to be obsessed with - Kingdom of freaking Hearts (I added the freaking in there for effect, it's just Kingdom of Hearts) Where, for the record, the villainess only has two possible endings 1) execution and 2) getting exiled. So Fate was like, "Don't worry, I'll save you. Here's a chance to live" and then was like "psyche, screw you. You're still going to die but I'll let you suffer a little first." So now, if only to annoy Fate by proving it wrong, I am determined to survive. I can and I will if I play by these simple rules: 1) Befriend Heroin 2) Avoid Aryn Edwards at All Costs as well as other capture targets And 3) Be the top student at the academy and become an invaluable asset to my Kingdom so I become indispensable, thus unkillable. I'm determined, stubborn, persistent and I will live passed 16. Fate made a big mistake setting me up to die. Since it threw this plot twist at me, I figure I'll return the favor. I'll be the biggest plot twist Fate never saw coming...

She was someone so pure that even the devil wanted to protect her. And he was the devil... When his eyes landed on her, Their world changed. She never knew it was the last day of her freedom . He kidnapped her . Married her. Loved her. Worshipped her. And he would bend the world to have her . Content Warning: This story contains dark romance, obsession, and non-consensual situations, including forced marriage and physical dominance. It depicts intense emotional and psychological distress. Recommended for mature readers aged 18+ only. Reader discretion is advised.

In the fractured lands of the Seven Empyreal Realms, Empress Lysandra Vael Korvynn rises as the luminous force meant to unite kingdoms drowning in war, betrayal, and ancient magic. Revered for her beauty, feared for her power, and trailed by a loyal obsidian wyvern, she stands as the realm's last symbol of hope. Caught between a smug prince determined to control her, a knight whose devotion threatens to unravel her armor, and a growing storm of political deception, Lysandra navigates a world where alliances are fragile and every truth is layered in shadow. But behind every whispered prophecy and every battle won, something darker stirs-an echo in the ley-lines, a legacy no one fully understands, and a destiny far more dangerous than the realms could ever prepare for. As kingdoms clash, magic awakens, and loyalty crumbles, the line between hero and villain begins to blur... and the Seven Realms may discover too late that the greatest threat has been standing at their throne all along.

This story takes place in a world where there are far more men than women. It is a reverse harem setting and follows a polyandry system where one woman can have several husbands. Read if you enjoy this type of novel.

❖ QUEENKILLER, KINGMAKER Book 2 ❖ A year has passed since Isla rescued Tam Mai from the dungeons, but her sister's mind is still trapped and broken. There is only one person Isla knows can help her. Meanwhile across the sea, a prince seeks justice for the murder of his mother. Their search may soon be over, but their war is yet to begin. Now they must work together to bring a new age to the realms and put a new king on the throne. But how long can their alliance hold, when one is keeping a vital secret from the other? ↝ this work contains violence, coarse language, and sexual references. content warnings also apply for ableism -- please see the opening author's note for details ↜ ↝ Wattys 2023 Ongoing Stories shortlist

A Desert Alchemist: The Doha Deception In the shimmering heat of Qatar, where ancient traditions clash with modern ambition, Karim al-Nasir, a shadow alchemist of wealth and influence, stumbles upon a viper's nest of corruption that reaches the highest echelons of power. When Zara, a mysterious whistleblower, delivers damning evidence against the Al Thani project, a beacon of national pride, Karim finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of deception and intrigue. To expose the truth, Karim forges an unlikely alliance with Khalil, a Bedouin sage who teaches him the ancient ways of the desert, transforming him from a shrewd businessman into a cunning strategist. Together, they navigate the treacherous landscape of Doha, infiltrating the inner circle of the Al Thani family and uncovering a conspiracy that threatens to destabilize the entire region. As Karim delves deeper, he uncovers the architect of the scheme: Sheikh Hamad Al Thani, a pillar of integrity, secretly manipulating events for his own ruthless ambition. With the help of Tariq, Hamad's own brother, Karim orchestrates a daring plan to expose the truth, but the counterstrike is swift and brutal. In a city of shadows, where every conversation is overheard and every movement scrutinized, Karim must outwit his enemies, shift the sands of power, and reshape the destiny of a nation. But as the architect falls, Karim discovers that the game is far from over. A shadowy organization known as "The Circle" lurks in the background, pulling the strings of global corruption. Now, Karim faces an even greater challenge: to expose The Circle and bring their machinations into the light, even if it means risking his own life. "A Desert Alchemist" is a thrilling tale of ambition, betrayal, and the enduring power of truth, set against the opulent backdrop of the Middle East.

A magic as lethal as it is irresistible... A cloak-and-dagger war for supremacy... A love that will cost her whole world... Alyssa is one of the few children in Khania born with the ability to fly. But the magic that allows her to defy gravity consumes an adult's soul, so on her seventeenth birthday she must don the grounding chains and become earthbound. It's the edict of the saints and it is inviolable. Or so she thinks until she meets Kal-a self-important, annoying scholar of the soaring phenomenon, who accosts her with a blasphemous proposal: share with him her most private soaring experiences, in violation of every religious and moral norm, and in return he will provide the one thing she longs for the most, the one thing she shouldn't even dream of: a way out of the grounding chains and back into the sky. As the couple set out to unravel the millennium-old mystery surrounding soarers, they find themselves in the middle of a war for supremacy which could devastate their world. And if the price for saving her people is Alyssa's heart, will she be willing to pay it?

In the first book of the Stormcrier Chronicles, a revolution stirs in the east as ancient dragons return to the continent of Verden after being extinct for 100 years. A young man's world is turned upside down as he attempts to find his place in a country full of more conflict and secrets then he could have ever imagined. #1 in #newseries #1 in #newaccount #1 in #swordandsorcery

He was studying for a chemistry test. Then he was thrown into a war. Kevin Ho is an anxious, pacifist high school student whose only escape is fantasy novels. But when a fatal car accident tears him from his world, he awakens in the midst of a brutal siege-a world where warriors channel the power of Qi and survival is measured in blood. Marked as an outsider and useless in a society that values only martial strength, Kevin's only advantage is a mysterious system known as the Mandate, which allows him to see patterns in the chaos. Forced to become the strategist for a desperate fortress, he must use his wits to outmaneuver an overwhelming enemy, earning the wary respect of the fortress's deadly champion, a young woman named Xiao Li. But the Mandate is a double-edged sword, its power fueled by his own mind and spirit. To survive, Kevin must abandon his pacifist ideals and navigate a world of political intrigue, brutal combat, and a slow-burning connection that defies the boundaries of their two worlds. The path to victory will scar him, and the path back home is a distant, seemingly impossible dream. Can a pacifist survive in a world built on violence? And if he wins the war, will there be anything left of him to save?

The book is written in the spirit of Dune, Hyperion, Expansion, Foundation. In a future where androids have found freedom and humanity fears death, three fugitives discover alien artifacts that awaken two hostile gods. Now faith becomes a weapon and reason is a battleground for the fate of the universe.

Cassian has been hunted, arrested, hospitalized, and kidnapped more times than he can count. After months of running, scheming, and hiding, he's finally in his aunt's custody and living under a false identity to hide from his time-travel-related crimes. But all is not well in 1299. Despite Cassian's interference his archenemies from the past have a few more tricks up their sleeve. Cassian and his friends have one last battle to fight. To outsmart the english, Cassian is going to have to go even farther into the past to call on a long dead ally. You know the drill by now. Dead people live. Living people die. Plots, schemes, murder. Dark humor, witty dialogue, revenge plots. The dead come back to life, the living have to die. Time travel. Sword fights. Badass princesses. Murder. Edmund Crouchback is still the main antagonist you're still going to love him. Come to the dark side, we have dragons. Highly recommend reading these in order, but everything pretty much gets caught up to speed if you don't. Tangentially related to the Last Knights of Cambria series but independent. Trigger/Content Warnings: some peril (think Hunger games level peril and violence). Some emotional conversations regarding family relationships and loss of a parent. Some profanity.

Brent is half-Avat, half-Arkanian --- and the Arkanian Empire wants him dead. From timid child to rebel leader, he fights to free the enslaved Avat people, but darkness follows him everywhere. Visions of a forgotten hero hint at a legacy he never wanted, and a power he barely understands begins to stir beneath their weight. To save the world and all he loves, he may have to risk everything. But freedom comes at a price no one can pay. Updates Tues & Thurs at 5PM EST.

In the heart of the vast ocean lies the empire of Mesos, a land of prosperity, secrets, and ancient power. Born into the prestigious House of Lapis, known for their mystical ties to the deep-blue stone of protection-Lapis Lazuli-Lavei Lapis was a prodigy: beautiful, wise, and deadly. But fate was cruel. She died young. Now, reborn with the memories of her past life, Lavei is determined to rewrite her destiny, win the game of empires, and maybe... melt the hearts of kings and warriors alike. Because this time, they all want her. And this time... she remembers everything!

A servant's son. A cursed gift. A love that could shatter a kingdom. In a world teetering on the brink of war, Loyn, a servant's son with fragile ice magic, dares to dream of knighthood. His gift is seen as a curse, his bloodline a barrier, and his heart is filled with doubt. Yet, guided by his mother's faith and a knight whose praise is harder to earn than any victory, he presses on. Amidst the gathering storm, he finds an unlikely beacon: Princess Eila, radiant as dawn, whose kindness disarms more surely than any sword. But in a kingdom where shadows of betrayal lengthen and empires clash, their bond becomes a dangerous folly. When war consumes everything, Loyn is forced to make an impossible choice between his heart, his honor, and the fate of the very kingdom he swore to protect. ✨ Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Romantasy ✨ Themes: Slow Burn Romance, Forbidden Love, Magic, War, Knights, Royalty, Coming of Age ✨ Updates: Regularly (1 page = 1 day) 📖 A poetic fantasy confession about childhood and the dream to rise above it.

"There is always a choice." Adara Konsdóttir has had to battle her way to the top of the military world. As a former Delta Force soldier turned commander of an elite private military, she lives by the Maelstrom Company's motto: "Make the world a better place." When she's tasked with her newest mission, she learns every lie carries a doubled cost. Across the world, Princess Kali Ali of Al Kamara is expected to inherit the throne. When her ritual of inheritance goes terribly wrong, Kali and her family are thrust into the spotlight as her family fractures, her brother's exile haunts the kingdom, and every choice is broadcast to a nation on the brink of war. When Adara's mission and Kali's nightmare collide, the two women - and the exiled prince caught between them, Suri Ali - must navigate a web of lies stretching from palace courts to foreign battlefields. As loyalties split and blood spills, the trio will be forced to answer: What does it mean to be native: to your family, your country, or yourself?

From Priestess to Concubine to Queen Ashri, a beautiful Nubian priestess who worships at the temple of Demeter & Persephone in Cyrene Greece is captured by Spartan soldiers who sack the island her temple is on, becoming the captive of General Omiros and taken back to Sparta

Katalina Wheeler has always lived her life quietly on the edges of Hawkins - observant, careful, and constantly one step ahead of the panic her illness could bring. Living with cystic fibrosis has never stopped her from trying to blend in, even when it means hiding how fragile her lungs really are. But Hawkins doesn't let anyone stay invisible for long. Strange lights flicker in the woods. People go missing. And suddenly Katalina finds herself pulled into the chaos she spent her whole life avoiding. With danger closing in and her world turning upside down, she discovers that being fragile doesn't mean being weak - and that sometimes the most unexpected people bring out a strength you never knew you had.

He wasn't a king or a prince. He was a simple tavern owner named "Honey Mug." But hidden beneath the innkeeper's guise was a master strategist. He built an empire that thrives on shadow trade, assembled an army from the forgotten, and began a secret war. He is the Lord of the North, and in his hands is not just a sword, but the mighty Lance of Longinus and the Shield of Achilles. The world thinks kings rule, but in reality, all are moved by him and his loyal agents: Green, Father Took, Hasan, and others. From crusades to battles against the ancient Cult of the Serpent, he collects powerful artifacts and expands his power. He's not just the ruler of a principality; he's the shadow lord of the entire empire. How far can a man who is not afraid to walk on the edge go?