Last Among Equals by Peter J Aldin

For years, the nations of Ollaj and Kardalan have flourished under an uneasy peace.

But now, the Trell have come.

And with the Trell, comes war...

As monstrous armies carve bloody swathes across southern Ollaj, northern Kardalan quietly revels in their neighbor's downfall—until the Trell appear at their own borders.

The fate of both countries now rests on the shoulders of two unlikely heroes:

Erik Hødegaal, a disgraced Kardelian nobleman and warrior, unjustly branded a traitor and shunned for his father's sins.

And youthful Prej, the last of Ollaj's mages, an apprentice who hides a dire prophecy and a secret calling she feels ill-prepared to fulfill.

To thwart the Trell scourge, these traditional enemies must forge an alliance, rallying a ragtag band of soldiers and sorcerers to face an enemy razing everything in their path.

In a world where old grudges run deep and new horrors emerge, Erik and Prej must learn to trust each other—or else bear witness to the destruction of both their homelands.

For fans of John Gwynne, Leigh Bardugo, Robert Jordan, and Jennifer Fallon.