"The Talisman of Darien Kaur" : Book two : "Princess of Arlain"
The queen is dead. Gailinda of the realm of Arlain has succumbed to a long, wasting disease and her country is slowly being absorbed into the empire of the northern god Kaull. The heir apparent, princess Johanna, suffers from the same illness that clained her mother. Acting in the queens name, Johannas' brother, The Kaull Bishop Bardock is bringing in armies from the conquered lands to the north and dressing them in the uniform of Arlain.
Across the border, queen Cressalyn of the empire of B'akkai is nervous. First Carlonis to the north and now Arlain, across her eastern border is falling to the Kaull. She is at a loss until an old acquaintance arrives in her realm, a warrior bearing the Talisman of the sorcerer king Darien Kaur. She sends him on a desparate, clandestine mission to save her sister sovreign, princess Johanna and thus turn the tide of Kaull.