I promised a character art reveal, and here it is. Readers, meet Lion!

Gorgeous character art by @Roinujw – love his work.

Now let’s do another spotlight on Lion and get to know him better.

Personality and Background

Born as a slave, Lion is a purebred beast, meticulously bred and trained since childhood for the blood-soaked arenas of Chinderia. He has an intimidating size, though he is disciplined into behaving obedience and reserved.

Despite being dehumanized and raised as a tool, Lion possesses a complexity that sets him apart. He is resilient and he demonstrates a budding sense of self, which he desperately tries to suppress and deny.

Lion’s primary motivation is survival, and he has learned from a young age, that only way for a slave to exist is to obey and please. However, when he encounters Saradra, his motivations begin to change. Saradra, with her defiant spirit and unwavering sense of self, sparks something within Lion. She becomes a catalyst for him to accept himself and recognise his desires and humanity. Through his interactions with Saradra, Lion begins to question his purpose and the world around him. However when his world goes upside down, he will realise survival is not enough anymore.

Why Readers Will Love Lion?

Readers will be drawn to Lion’s journey because it resonates with universal themes of identity, freedom, and self-discovery. From the first page, readers will see what he is missing and needing, even though Lion is far from seeing it himself. Readers will feel deeply attached and committed to his journey to freedom.

Read Lion’s Background

As I mentioned before, I will be releasing a short story that sheds more light into Lion’s background. A Taste of Blade and Roar will be available in late January – or late December if you preorder or post your ARC review – and you can get to know Lion a bit better. Below is a little excerpt from the start of ATOBAR.

---

Mutt hopped out of the carriage and joined the rest of the King’s beasts.

The crowd’s excitement hung heavy in the air outside the Switchblade Arena. The gates remained shut, the fights still hours away, yet already over a hundred people eagerly waited to be let in. Their cheers and shouts peaked when they spotted the beasts. A line of arena guards kept them at bay, giving the King’s team clear access to the path leading to the side entrance.

“Alright, maggots,” Badimar grunted. “Line up and let them take a good look at you. Heads up. Not you, Mutt, you little shit. You wait at the back.”

Mutt stood a few steps behind the other beasts and kept his head down. The others lined up and faced the crowd, soaking their cheers. The beasts kept their faces impassive. No smiles, nothing that would suggest they enjoyed the attention. This display was for the crowd’s benefit, to fuel their excitement, to fill them with awe and leave them craving for blood.

“Stonehelm, salute them,” Badimar instructed.

Stonehelm, the largest of the beasts, stepped forward and raised his right fist, spiking the crowd’s ecstasy. Their affection was intense. People surged forward, pressing against the line of arena guards as if the beasts were worth breaking bones for a closer look.

Mutt’s stomach twisted, though he smothered the feeling instantly. Despite not being at the centre of attention, he could feel their eyes on him too. His tall, imposing figure and his shaggy blonde hair made him stand out. A few people were pointing at him, searching him out, trying to guess his strength. Weighing whether he was worth their interest.

Badimar crossed his arms over his leather vest and watched the crowd with a sharp gaze. He was a stocky but powerful figure, built like an anvil. Long hours outdoors had left his skin weathered and tanned, his hair close-cropped and grey. A whip coiled at the side of his belt, a reminder of his authority over the beasts under his command.

“Alright, that’s enough,” he snapped finally and ushered the beasts up the path to the side entrance. The crowd’s shouts and applauds chased after them, more than half yelling Stonehelm’s name.

Assistant trainers, a physician, an armourer, a weapons master, and a small army of apprentices and labour slaves carrying their equipment brought up the rear. A group of royal soldiers, wearing black and gold uniforms with simple chain mails and long swords, escorted the team for protection.

As Mutt walked behind the other beasts, he resisted the urge to look up and take in the majestic structure ahead. Largest in the kingdom, Switchblade Arena loomed over him like a menacing fiend waiting to devour its prey. The weight of its shadow fell on him, making him feel small. Curiosity was like an annoying itch, teasing him to just look up and see. Excitement, admiration, and an odd mixture of hunger and thrill thrummed beneath his ribcage, begging to be acknowledged. He ignored it all and kept his eyes firmly on the muddy cobblestone ahead.

---

Make sure you

to get the rest of this short story on release date.