From the author of The Merlin Prophecy, the historical trilogy that “appeals to those who thrill to *Game of Thrones*” (*Kirkus Reviews*)—the third installment in the epic, action-packed story of King Arthur.

Celtic Britain is on the brink of collapse, and the kingdom’s bloodiest days are upon it. For many years, the people of Britain have enjoyed peace and prosperity under the reign of King Arthur. But Arthur is now weakening with age, and the seeds of discontent are being sown.

Seeking to cleanse the land of Christian belief, dissenters need a symbol with which to legitimize their pagan claim and unite the malcontents. They seize upon the ancient Cup of Bishop Lucius of Glastonbury as a way of fragmenting Arthur’s hard-earned kingdom.

The ultimate threat to Arthur’s rule lies far closer to home: his own kin will betray him. Celt will slay Celt and the rivers will run with blood. Will all be lost, or can Arthur conquer the mounting forces before it’s too late?

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### From Booklist

Hume resumes her Arthurian trilogy with a bang. Twelve years have passed since the conclusion of Dragon’s Child, and Artor’s reign continues to be characterized by great accomplishment and uneasy danger. Though he successfully unites Celtic Britain, unification is achieved at a brutally high cost. Ousting the Saxons serves as a temporary and bloody distraction, but enemies lurk within and without the fortress of Cadbury Tor (Camelot). When Artor takes the scheming, dissatisfied beauty Wenhaver as his wife, she drives a wedge between the king and one of his most trusted men. The Bloody Cup wraps up this stellar trilogy with an originally wrought quest for the Holy Grail. As Artor ages and his kingdom shows sign of fracture, the importance of symbolic objects increases dramatically. As pagans vie with Christians, and Celts square off against Picts, it becomes clear that Artor’s glory days are on the wane. Proving that he still has some fight left in him, the beleaguered High King takes to the battlefield for one final, bloody, and ultimately tragic showdown against his nephew Mordred. Fantastical elements continue to abound in the final two installments in this earthy and historically grounded retelling of a beloved legend. --Margaret Flanagan

### About the Author

M. K. Hume is a retired academic. She received her MA and PhD in Arthurian literature and is the author of The Merlin Prophecy, a historical trilogy about the legend of Merlin. She lives in Australia with her husband and two sons.