For generations, the fortified kingdom of Matrika has known peace. Protected by an immense wall of Caldranite and an army that has never faced a true invasion, its people have come to believe themselves untouchable.
Beyond the northern mountains, the neighbouring nation of Nibel has already learned otherwise.
When Lakh, a young scout burdened by the scars of his childhood, arrives at the royal palace with a desperate warning, King Williem Caldran is forced to confront the threat his kingdom has spent more than a year trying to ignore. The Enarxi are coming. Pale, impossibly fast and terrifyingly powerful, they have left nothing but scorched earth behind them. Matrika is next.
With his inexperienced soldiers hopelessly outmatched, the King turns to a secret project dismissed by many as fantasy: the Veilhost. Once celebrated only in myths and children's stories, these extraordinary warriors possess abilities beyond those of ordinary men and women. Fleets can move with astonishing speed. Brutes wield unnatural strength. Seekers perceive what others cannot. Yet the process that creates them is poorly understood, their loyalties are uncertain, and the mysterious creatures connected to their powers may be more dangerous than anyone realises.
As Lakh begins to discover abilities of his own, two brothers from the streets of Matrik are drawn into the Veilhost programme with devastating consequences. Within the palace, old rivalries fracture the King's council, while resentment spreads through an army that sees the Veilhost not as saviours, but as unnatural experiments. Beyond the walls, the Enarxi continue their advance-and one survivor of their first attack is being transformed into something unrecognisable.
To save Matrika, its defenders must uncover the truth buried beneath their kingdom, confront the secrets upon which its greatest achievements were built and learn to fight beside those they fear. But the enemy approaching from the north is only part of the danger.
Something ancient is stirring in the darkness.
And the creatures lurk closer than anyone knows.
The Creatures Lurk is the first book in The Veilhost Trilogy, an epic fantasy saga of invasion, hidden power, political betrayal and ordinary people transformed into weapons. Blending large-scale battles with mystery, dark humour and an ensemble of conflicted heroes, it begins a story in which legends are real-but the truth behind them is far more disturbing.
About the Author :
Topher Knowles is the author of The Veilhost Trilogy, his debut fantasy series and a world he has been shaping for the past ten years. His love of fantasy began when a friend lent him a copy of Raymond E. Feist's Magician, opening the door to the kind of sweeping stories, strange magic, and unforgettable characters that have inspired him ever since.Originally drawn to stories with mystery, danger, and a sense of worlds larger than their maps, Topher now lives in Manchester, England, where he has made his home for twenty years. He shares it with his wife, Ruth, and their dopey Golden Retriever, Buddy.
