Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Verity Guild by Mai Corland, which releases on May 5th 2026.

Secrets built this republic; one truth could burn it down.

High Priestess Kerasea Vestal has spent her life hiding the truth—that she’s the last surviving heir of the magical bloodline the republic slaughtered. One wrong step could be fatal. But when a senator is brutally killed and a temple blade is found at the scene, all eyes turn to her.

Praetorian Torren Morvane has made a career of dragging liars into the light, and Kerasea is the one person he’s vowed to ruin. But locked on a mountain with a murderer, scheming senators, and a prophecy of death, he’s forced to work at her side. The closer he gets, the more dangerous the truth—and their attraction—becomes.

With traitors closing in and a nation on the verge of shattering, Kerasea and Torren must risk everything to uncover the real killer…even if it means trusting their sworn enemy.

EXCERPT

Copyright © 2026 by Mai Corland. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. Edited by Liz Pelletier

Chapter 2
Torren

The roar of the crowd rises in my ears, begging for blood, and I’m happy to oblige.

My opponent sways in front of me, looking but not seeing. He fought well, but this match was over before it began. The man comes from the Southside, the rich end of the capital.

He’d tried to hide his noble status, but it was obvious from his tailoring and bearing. For all the advantages they have south of the Tiger River, they can’t fight like the Northside. It’s not really their fault—they’ve never had their lives depend on their hands.

I shift my stance, ready to issue the final blow. Another win. Another knockout. Victory in the fight ring won’t change my past, but it’s still something.

Sweat stings as it drips down my forehead into my eyes. I blink twice, and then everything slows. The wraps around my hands suddenly don’t feel as tight; my heart beats slower. I bounce on the balls of my feet, my legs nearly weightless with each movement. One. Two. I draw a breath, ready for my fist to collide with the man’s cheek. He’ll hit the mat with a thud, and I will be declared the champion—as I have dozens of times before.

Nothing can dull this moment.

“Praetorian! Praetorian,” a panicked voice shouts from the crowd. I clench my jaw.

Son of a jackal—well, almost nothing.

With stiff shoulders, I turn at my title, although I already recognized the voice. It’s Antinous, Clerk of the Senate Council, along with a cadre of armor-plated sentries. Antinous is a small man with round spectacles who has never seen the inside of a ring in his life. Judging by the nervous way he shifts around as he waits, I’m not sure he’s even been this close to one.

“The Senate is awaiting you, Praetorian. The Revelry will start within the hour.”

Which I knew. I had calculated plenty of time for a quick match, but this nobleman surprised me with his refusal to give up. I’ve knocked him to the mat twice, and he’s still fighting.

For a moment, I consider ignoring Antinous long enough to put this nobleman down one final time. But duty makes my fists too heavy to swing.

I sigh as I raise my arm to forfeit the match, even though conceding feels like pushing sand under my skin. Responsibility comes first for the Senate’s protector, as it must. The needs of the republic are greater than any one man’s pride.

The crowd in the stands gasps because I’ve never once been beaten or forfeited. They want to jeer, especially those who bet on a knockout, but they don’t dare. Not with ten sentries and the Senate Clerk standing here. And certainly not with my reputation.

The referee lifts my opponent’s hand in the air. No one applauds.

I shrug on my cotton shirt and button it. The fabric sticks to my sweat and the man’s blood speckled across my chest, but I planned to bathe and change before the Revelry anyway.

Antinous smiles up at me. He’s around average height for a man, so a head shorter than me, and maybe half my weight when he’s soaking wet. I gesture for him to go first as I catch Julian’s blond hair in the crowd. He falls in line beside me, and I knock fists with my closest friend.

“It was a good fight, Tor,” Julian says.

I glance at him and raise my eyebrows. “Was it?”

I wait for a reply, but he’s already smiling to men he knows and women he’d like to. We’re opposites, he and I. He’s a few inches shorter and less muscular, and he has blond hair where mine is ebony, but it’s our personalities that are diametrically opposed. For example, people like him.

“Your fights never are.” He laughs, shaking his head. “I don’t know how you still manage to con the upper crust out of money and into the ring.”

I shrug. There’s never a shortage of overconfident men.

Julian is also one of those upper-crust nobles from a storied family in the Southside, but I like him in spite of all that. In spite of myself, I suppose.

I run my hands through my short hair as we walk the paved stone streets past the noisy hawkers in the sprawling market and the quiet, empty arena.

“Are the men ready?” I ask.

He nods, but he’s delayed a moment, distracted by a pair of pretty brown eyes and a green sash. I groan. I swear women will be the death of him.

I idle, and two small, dirty children pull at my pants leg. One look and I know they’re from the Northside. Beggar children cross over the Palatine Bridge to reach the deeper pockets here. It’s a punishable offense, seeking alms across the river, but they appear to be no more than four and six years old. I toss them a few coppers, pretending they fell from my pocket.

Julian catches me, glowing with happiness as he adds silver coins to their little hands. With his money, they’ll be fed for a month. There were days I could only wish for that kind of blessing. Memories of hunger pangs stir in my stomach, and I shake them off.

I clear my throat and look away from the children. “Your report, Commander.”

“Yes, of course,” he says. “All sentries are on duty, Praetorian.”

The Capital Commander smirks as he inclines his head at me. He uses my title because he knows the formality annoys me—at least when it’s from him. Julian is one of the few who still views me as a person, not just the Senate’s fearsome watchdog and brutal investigator.

I keep walking.

“You seem particularly surly today,” he says. “Which is no small feat for you.”

I stare straight ahead at the towering white marble buildings of the Forum in the distance, each a marvel of civilization, from the towers to the hanging gardens to the shimmering spire. “I am but a ray of sunshine in the dusk.”

The corner of his mouth lifts as I quote one of my favorite poets, then he taps his chin. “Let’s see, what’s bothering you…lately? I know you don’t exactly appreciate the upcoming night of sin because to you, it’s just more paperwork.”

He’s right—the Revelry is a headache.

I shake my head and continue on. “Nothing is bothering me.”

“You’re the republic’s worst liar,” Julian says.

I draw a breath and turn to stare daggers at him without breaking stride.

“Oh, those blue pools the ladies love,” he says, chuckling.

I roll my eyes. He really is the worst best friend I could have. Sometimes, like right now, I regret protecting him the day we met, but he’s also my only real friend. I assume this is what it’s like to have a younger brother—to love someone as much as you’re irritated by them. The gods blessed me with being an only child. Well, aside from my half sisters, but they’re far younger than I am, and we’ve lived entirely different lives.

“But you hate the Revelry and all of this every year,” he continues. “So why grumpier about tonight— Oh.” He smiles like a cat cornering a broken-winged bird. “Never mind.”

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing.” He shakes his head, his hazel eyes innocent. He’s not innocent at all.

“Do you have something to tell me or are you just here to torment me?” I ask.

Julian’s smile fades. “Actually, I do.”

The change in tone catches my attention as we step into the tiled hall. I stop. We don’t have to go far—my rooms are first off the entrance. But Julian avoids being serious at all costs. This must be important.

I unlock the door, and we enter my apartment. My quarters are the most luxurious and spacious in the barracks, which isn’t saying much. Jules calls it a “grand hovel.” But I have a living space, a bedroom, and a private bath, which is all I need. I’ve lived with far less.

“There’s a rumor that the temple of truth received a mal omen today, and we have reports of a potential Arthagian incursion. I’m sure there won’t be a war—the Senate will roll over as per usual. Still, some in command are calling for the Revelry to be canceled.”

“Oh, well, if the bird livers say it, it has to be true,” I mutter, flipping the lock.

“Go get bathed or you’ll be late,” Julian says. “Yes, you wouldn’t want to keep the lady waiting.”

I swallow and look down at the ground before answering. “A thousand curses upon your soul.”

I stride out of the room and just barely resist slamming the door to the bath. Julian laughs because he’s goaded me into a temper. He’s right—about all of it—but there’s no need to tell him that. I don’t enjoy the Revelry and, for the first time, Kerasea Vestal will be on the dais next to me. Sharing the space with her father was bad enough. She’s worse.

Without waiting for the hot water, I plunge myself into the cold shower.

It’s going to be a long night.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Verity Guild’ by Mai Corland appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Mai! Can you tell readers a bit about the Broken Blades trilogy and what readers can expect?

Thanks for having me! The Broken Blades series is about five of the most dangerous liars in the kingdom coming together to try to kill the god king of Yusan. As the Blades form bonds and find love over the three books, there is also betrayal, loss, and enemies assembling from every corner of the four realms. Readers can expect a new adult fantasy best described as Kill Bill meets Ocean’s Eleven.

THREE SHATTERED SOULS is the final installment in the Broken Blades trilogy out July 15. If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Risk it all to win.

Can you tell us a bit about why you wanted your epic fantasy trilogy to feature such powerful female characters and why that was important to you?

The Broken Blades trilogy began with Sora, a poison maiden, who is an indentured servant and Aeri, a jewel thief who has been on her own from a young age. Too many times in epic fantasy, women are the vehicles for men’s ambitions and serve to further their stories without agency of their own. I wanted to change that. In this trilogy, Aeri and Sora finding their paths to freedom and embracing their strengths lies at the heart of the story.

What’s next for you?

I have a new series coming next year with Red Tower and I can’t wait to tell everyone about it! Although it is not formally announced, I can say that there will be a spinoff to the Broken Blades trilogy.

What books are you reading this summer?

I am lucky to have advanced copies of Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer, Strange Familiars by Keshe Chow, and Devious Prey by Scott Reintgen waiting for me! I’m excited to dive in once I’m off deadline.

 Will you be picking up Three Shattered Souls? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Mai Corland, Author of ‘Three Shattered Souls’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Mai! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi all! I am a mother, former attorney, and author of the New York Times and Sunday Times instant bestseller Five Broken Blades. I was born in South Korea, but I was adopted and grew up in New York City.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

My father was a librarian with the Brooklyn Public Library, so my love of stories started early. I also wrote (extremely angsty) journals starting from when I was thirteen. Around that time, stories became my way of making sense of the world around me and my own feelings. They have been ever since.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Good Night Moon
• The one that made you want to become an author: The Client byJohn Grisham
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Jade City by Fonda Lee

Four Ruined Realms is the sequel to Five Broken Blades and it’s out January 7^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Trauma-bonded crew facing new issues!

For those who haven’t read Five Broken Blades, what can they expect?

Five Broken Blades is the start of a new adult trilogy. Fve of the most dangerous liars in the realm come together to try to pull off the impossible: kill the god king of Yusan. There are secrets, lies, and a twist at the end.

And for those who have, what do they have to look forward to in Four Ruined Realms?

More lies and new liars, more secrets and reveals, more action, and more devastation. Four Ruined Realms picks up a week after Five Broken Blades left off, with the blades entering a new land on a new quest to steal the Golden Ring of the Dragon Lord from the queen of Khitan.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?

Four Ruined Realms is my favorite book in the series so far. I, of course, enjoyed continuing the development of all of the characters, forging and breaking their relationships. Tiyung wound up being the most fascinating character to write. I loved adding a new nightmare bird, but it was the epic ending that was my favorite to draft.

Did you face any challenges with writing the sequel? How did you overcome them?

Four Ruined Realms just flowed. Five Broken Blades was my first fantasy and I learned so much that the sequel was easy. Now, the last book, on the other hand, nearly killed me.

What’s the best and worst writing advice you’ve received?

The best writing advice was to read more. It’s such a pleasurable way to expand your own horizons. The worst is any advice that tells you that you MUST do (fill in the blank). You don’t need to write 10,000 words a day, write every day, or take weekends off. You’ll find what works best for you… or at least what you can live with. My process is terrible, but it’s mine.

What’s next for you?

I just finished the last book of the trilogy and while it was hard to write, I’m so proud of it! I’m excited to revise and shape it with my editor. It will be on shelves before the end of 2025! If I can tell you a secret? There will be a spin-off to the Broken Blades trilogy. I’m also in the beginning stages of working on a new, spicy duology that we have planned for 2026.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?

Oh gosh, there are so many! I’ve been on deadline for so long that I am woefully behind in my reading. I have Rebel Witch, The Familiar, Hurricane Wars, Honey Witch, and The Bane Witch all on my desk—apparently, a lot of witches. I also finally want to read The Fifth Season.

Will you be picking up Four Ruined Realms? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Mai Corland, Author of ‘Four Ruined Realms’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.