In the dark and smoke-filled Kingdom of Small Heath, King Thomas Shelby rules with power and fear from the grand Shelby Castle. To the people of the kingdom, Queen Grace Burgess is the picture of elegance and kindness, beloved by all who know her. When seventeen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale is sold into service and brought to the castle as Queen Grace’s new maid, she expects a life of luxury and security. Instead, she discovers a palace filled with secrets, sorrow, and shadows. As Ashley and Grace form an unlikely bond, the young maiden learns that life within the royal court is far more dangerous than it appears. Together, the queen and her maid must navigate the darkness surrounding the throne and find strength in one another in a kingdom where appearances can be deceiving and survival often depends on courage, loyalty, and hope. A dark, gothic tale of friendship, resilience, and the hidden costs of power, The King of Small Heath and the Maiden explores what happens when two lives become intertwined within the shadows of a troubled kingdom.
Six months after losing her mother, sixteen-year-old Ashley Delaney Hale is uprooted from her life in San Francisco when her father, Derek Hale, decides they need a fresh start in his hometown of Beacon Hills. Now a single dad working as a mechanic, Derek is struggling to keep his family together while carrying grief and secrets he isn’t ready to share. Meanwhile, Ashley is forced to start over at Beacon Hills High, where she quickly befriends Liam Dunbar and unexpectedly connects with her kind and understanding history teacher, Scott McCall. Then there’s Brett Talbot. Cocky, irritating, and entirely too amused by getting under her skin, Brett seems determined to make himself a permanent part of Ashley’s life. Unfortunately for him, she’s completely unimpressed by his charm—and unfortunately for her, he doesn’t seem to mind. As strange things begin happening around town and whispers follow the Hale name, Ashley realizes Beacon Hills is hiding secrets far bigger than she ever imagined. Between grief, new friendships, unexpected feelings, and mysteries tied to her family, she and Derek may discover that coming home changes everything. A story about loss, healing, second chances, and finding family in unexpected places, where old wounds reopen, new relationships bloom, and sometimes the people who annoy you the most end up mattering the most.
Ashley Delaney Hale is human—but that doesn’t mean she’s safe in Beacon Hills. At 16, she’s clever, brave, and loyal, yet surrounded by werewolves, hunters, and constant danger. But the greatest challenge isn’t always supernatural—it’s navigating the protective, possessive instincts of Brett Talbot, the boy who has always watched over her. When other guys start paying attention to Ashley, Brett’s jealousy flares, testing the limits of his control and forcing Ashley to confront her own feelings. Between high school drama, supernatural threats, and Brett’s intense devotion, she discovers that sometimes love can be just as dangerous as any monster lurking in the shadows. In a town of claws, secrets, and loyalty, Brett’s possessive instincts might just be the thing that keeps Ashley alive… or the thing that changes everything between them.
At 16, Ashley Delaney Hale is human in a town overrun by werewolves, hunters, and secrets that could kill her. Born to Derek Hale but raised alongside Scott McCall as her adoptive father, Ashley grew up surrounded by the supernatural yet grounded in love, loyalty, and courage. She may not have claws or fangs, but her sharp mind, quick instincts, and unwavering heart make her a force to be reckoned with. Between high school life, family secrets, and the dangers lurking in Beacon Hills, Ashley must learn that being human doesn’t mean being powerless—and sometimes the bravest acts come from the heart.