Her Valiant Maiden

Two clashing lady knights must work together to protect their kingdom and its heir...For eleven years, Sir Lavinia, Lady of Larksmouth, has served as the crown princess's least-favorite personal guard. With her noble upbringing and small stature, she is eager to prove her worth by leading an important royal visit to their neighboring kingdom. But their journey turns on its head when a deadly ambush separates them from their convoy, thrusting Lavinia into a reluctant partnership with Sir Wren, the Beast of Broadmoor. Wren never expected to be in true combat again after a blade stole one of her eyes. However, her plans for a quiet season are ruined when a last-minute assignment lands her on the run in a foreign kingdom with a bitterly contrary lady knight, a child princess, and a stowaway baby dragon. No one, including Wren, would choose her for such a responsibility, but now she'll stop at nothing to protect them.As Lavinia grapples with grief and the ramifications of the ambush, Wren faces shadows from her own past. Together, the two knights traverse mountains to bring the princess to safety while fending off enemies, monsters, and an attraction that has no place between them. Trouble is on their heels. Or perhaps the danger didn't follow them at all, but started closer to home… ***The fourth in a series of stand-alone stories set in the same world, this steamy queer romance is inspired by classic fairytales. It can be enjoyed alone, or in combination with the first three books in the Sapphic Lady Knights series: Her Pretty Knight, Her Lovely Champion, and Her Blushing Hero. This story is intended for adult audiences. Mariah Rae quit her corporate job in 2022 and wrote a book. And she never stopped.While her earliest works of fiction and art were plastered boldly to the kitchen walls in her childhood home, it took her another twenty years to gather her courage to share her stories again. Now she writes sapphic tales full of romance and magic.An artist of many kinds, writing fills Mariah Rae's creative well to the brim. She lives near the mountains with her spouse and furry children. When not writing, she bakes, lurks in nature, and plays games with her small circle of heart family.