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Scales of Fate #2
Scales of Fate: The Scarred Prince
A crumbling kingdom. A reluctant prince. A trial that will test his body, mind, and heart.
Once in a generation, each of the eight dragon kingdoms send their finest prince to compete for the hand of the future Empress in the Celestial Courting Ceremony. These Chosen Princes must prove their worth through dangerous trials—all while bound by tradition to remain celibate. For Zargris, the sole prince of the Twilight Kingdom, competing was never a choice, merely one more role he never wanted to play.
Between a cruel cousin, a sister who despises him, and his nation teetering on the edge of ruin, Zargris struggles to shoulder the weight of his title. But as the many months of training test his endurance and resolve, Zargris develops an unexpected bond with a mysterious common drake. Her friendship may be the key to unlocking his buried potential—if her secrets and own hidden pain don’t bury her first.
With the Ceremony drawing nearer every day, will Zargris rise to embrace duty, compassion, and his destiny? Or will he crack under the mounting pressure, and give into the ugliest, most selfish parts of himself?
This story contains explicit erotic scenes involving dragons and drakes, not humans or shifters. It also features intense depictions of violence. For mature audiences only.
Once in a generation, each of the eight dragon kingdoms send their finest prince to compete for the hand of the future Empress in the Celestial Courting Ceremony. These Chosen Princes must prove their worth through dangerous trials—all while bound by tradition to remain celibate. For Zargris, the sole prince of the Twilight Kingdom, competing was never a choice, merely one more role he never wanted to play.
Between a cruel cousin, a sister who despises him, and his nation teetering on the edge of ruin, Zargris struggles to shoulder the weight of his title. But as the many months of training test his endurance and resolve, Zargris develops an unexpected bond with a mysterious common drake. Her friendship may be the key to unlocking his buried potential—if her secrets and own hidden pain don’t bury her first.
With the Ceremony drawing nearer every day, will Zargris rise to embrace duty, compassion, and his destiny? Or will he crack under the mounting pressure, and give into the ugliest, most selfish parts of himself?
This story contains explicit erotic scenes involving dragons and drakes, not humans or shifters. It also features intense depictions of violence. For mature audiences only.
500 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2025
3 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 5, 2025
As good as the first installment, perhaps even better.
Another kingdom, other ways, another story.
I'd been afraid that given the endearing character Razzan turned out to be and his trajectory, it would be difficult to feel closeness to another competitor - a rival to Raz.
Actually, not only Zargris does find his own ways to hit sensitive chords, but he does so without unseating Raz in the slightest way.
Which makes this series all the more thrilling, wondering how things will turn out for all protagonists, weighed down as they are by duty and traditions.
Quite the heartbreak on hold, until the rest of the story is delivered.
Another fear, spoiled as it could be by the cover, that it's more or less a story similar to the first, just with a different protagonist and setting.
But it's not, rather than that, the story is playing on that perceived similarity and deftly evades it to carve another path around the concept, enhancing the overreaching plot even further into a puzzle.
And that, if anything, settles it : this series is definitely going to be great. No pressure. At all.
Kudos for the setting too, the backstory of the protagonists is efficiently set up in the very first chapters.
Broad strokes as those may be, they're getting straight to the point to deliver fleshed characters and their touching backstory.
Their struggles come as a heart wrenching addition to the romance itself that they impact through the main protagonist's progression.
The plea for empathy is delivered neatly and contrasts starkly with the uncertainty weighing on the protagonists' fates, that pressure causing actual events to inevitably drift away from the ideal sometimes, a reminder that meaning well is not always enough.
Pacing is well calculated, each chapter pulls to the next.
If not for my scattered free time, I'd likely have wolfed down this book 2 days at most, and muy reading speed is very average.
Another kingdom, other ways, another story.
I'd been afraid that given the endearing character Razzan turned out to be and his trajectory, it would be difficult to feel closeness to another competitor - a rival to Raz.
Actually, not only Zargris does find his own ways to hit sensitive chords, but he does so without unseating Raz in the slightest way.
Which makes this series all the more thrilling, wondering how things will turn out for all protagonists, weighed down as they are by duty and traditions.
Quite the heartbreak on hold, until the rest of the story is delivered.
Another fear, spoiled as it could be by the cover, that it's more or less a story similar to the first, just with a different protagonist and setting.
But it's not, rather than that, the story is playing on that perceived similarity and deftly evades it to carve another path around the concept, enhancing the overreaching plot even further into a puzzle.
And that, if anything, settles it : this series is definitely going to be great. No pressure. At all.
Kudos for the setting too, the backstory of the protagonists is efficiently set up in the very first chapters.
Broad strokes as those may be, they're getting straight to the point to deliver fleshed characters and their touching backstory.
Their struggles come as a heart wrenching addition to the romance itself that they impact through the main protagonist's progression.
The plea for empathy is delivered neatly and contrasts starkly with the uncertainty weighing on the protagonists' fates, that pressure causing actual events to inevitably drift away from the ideal sometimes, a reminder that meaning well is not always enough.
Pacing is well calculated, each chapter pulls to the next.
If not for my scattered free time, I'd likely have wolfed down this book 2 days at most, and muy reading speed is very average.
March 13, 2025
Vastly superior to book 1 in almost all aspects. In my opinion, Zargris is a lot more enjoyable to read about than Razzan. He's smarter, more diplomatical and more prone to logical reasoning. The twilight kingdom is also less oppressive than the Vermillion kingdom, which was a breath of fresh air. The erotica is also more thought through, and spaced out, so the plot was given more space to shine. All in all, a pretty enjoyable read, and definiteky better than 1 (not that the first book was bad, mind)
Its somewhere between 3.5 stars and 4 stars, i think. So im gonna round that up
Its somewhere between 3.5 stars and 4 stars, i think. So im gonna round that up
February 20, 2025
I'm really not that much of an 'emotional' kind of person, but after reading the first book (Scales of Fate: The Chosen Prince) I'm definitely wary of how the author Shaidan Barnes is able to tug and pull at my heartstrings - and this book has certainly did just that (even more so than the first book!) and it has left a significant impact on me emotionally.
While the book features a completely different prince and setting as compared to the first book, I've found Zargris' personality and most importantly his personal development to be such a joy to read and experience. How he's able to beautifully describe the scents of the scenes he's experiencing, the heart-wrenching dialogues he has with his sister, mother and the mysterious drake, and the desperate and intimate actions that he's forced to take throughout the book. The book perfectly puts the reader in the place of the Twilight Kingdom's Chosen Prince, how most of the times his personal goals clashes directly with what is expected of Zargris.
I cried a lot while reading this book, which has honestly surprising because I don't usually get teary-eyed while reading stories! Certain scenes have left me emotionally crushed due to immense sorrow while some scenes have left me shedding tears of joy. There is such an incredible depth to almost all of the characters, every single one of the dragons have compelling motives - even characters that at a first glance could be unmistakably labelled 'evil' actually has valid reasons for why they did what they did. Since I was given the opportunity to also listen to the audiobook, I want to add that the narrator did an exemplary job with how much emotion he puts into all of the dialogue - I would say it adds another layer of experience while going through the story that pure reading alone wouldn't give.
The series has an incredibly interesting overarching plot to span multiple books, and the pacing in this book was excellent. Even though it's significantly longer than the previous book, it's not really a downside as I've found myself loving every page of it. Scenes and moments rarely stretched for longer than they needed to (no matter how much I actually wanted to linger and stay!).
If you've enjoyed the first book, then I would highly recommend continuing with this one! There are certain gruesome scenes comparable to what is contained in the first book but I would say that they are much more plenty here, some readers may find it a bit psychologically difficult to read, but such scenes only occur rarely throughout the entire book. I personally find them necessary to the plot and it adds to the emotional impact I've stated previously.
All in all, the book has proven itself to me worthy of being rated 5 out of 5 stars, as well as it being crowned my best favorite book of 2025. Would you take the time to learn the story of The Scarred Prince? Or the mysterious drake he'll meet?
I very much implore you to do so.
While the book features a completely different prince and setting as compared to the first book, I've found Zargris' personality and most importantly his personal development to be such a joy to read and experience. How he's able to beautifully describe the scents of the scenes he's experiencing, the heart-wrenching dialogues he has with his sister, mother and the mysterious drake, and the desperate and intimate actions that he's forced to take throughout the book. The book perfectly puts the reader in the place of the Twilight Kingdom's Chosen Prince, how most of the times his personal goals clashes directly with what is expected of Zargris.
I cried a lot while reading this book, which has honestly surprising because I don't usually get teary-eyed while reading stories! Certain scenes have left me emotionally crushed due to immense sorrow while some scenes have left me shedding tears of joy. There is such an incredible depth to almost all of the characters, every single one of the dragons have compelling motives - even characters that at a first glance could be unmistakably labelled 'evil' actually has valid reasons for why they did what they did. Since I was given the opportunity to also listen to the audiobook, I want to add that the narrator did an exemplary job with how much emotion he puts into all of the dialogue - I would say it adds another layer of experience while going through the story that pure reading alone wouldn't give.
The series has an incredibly interesting overarching plot to span multiple books, and the pacing in this book was excellent. Even though it's significantly longer than the previous book, it's not really a downside as I've found myself loving every page of it. Scenes and moments rarely stretched for longer than they needed to (no matter how much I actually wanted to linger and stay!).
If you've enjoyed the first book, then I would highly recommend continuing with this one! There are certain gruesome scenes comparable to what is contained in the first book but I would say that they are much more plenty here, some readers may find it a bit psychologically difficult to read, but such scenes only occur rarely throughout the entire book. I personally find them necessary to the plot and it adds to the emotional impact I've stated previously.
All in all, the book has proven itself to me worthy of being rated 5 out of 5 stars, as well as it being crowned my best favorite book of 2025. Would you take the time to learn the story of The Scarred Prince? Or the mysterious drake he'll meet?
I very much implore you to do so.
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May 14, 2025I’m starving for real dragon romance stories, and this book managed to satiate that ever-growing hunger nicely. It’s much better than the first book, and seems more like an evolution of the formula rather than a distinctly different story. The introduction is smoother, the characters more distinct, and much more lively. Character interactions make a lot of sense, and eventually it all smooths over into a very comfortable rhythm. The star of the show is of course, Elara, whose bubbly nature and wit make her instantly likable. Zargris is a great character too, who’s a lot more fleshed out and relatable than book one’s protagonist.
Side characters like Alyssis still start out very muddled, but thankfully by the end these characters are refined and fully-dimensional. Again, the beginning still struggles, but despite the rocky launch, the story very quickly recovers. It’s clear there’s a lot going on here under the hood. Setup and conflict is more dynamic, worldbuilding gets more chances to shine as part of the story, and the power struggles make more sense.
There’s also a lot less cringy dialogue and confusing writing this time around as well.
There’s a lot of talk of what’s not as bad as before, but don’t get me wrong, this story stands on its own merits quite frequently. It’s well thought out, exciting, paced exceptionally, and has deep, inviting, character drama. There is a slight dragging towards the middle of the story, but it’s also building towards a worthwhile conclusion, and it does so quite spectacularly.
Some plot points were not as well thought out as they could have been, but it is still very solid considering how much is being juggled at once here.
Zargris as a main character feels a little too obvious. Quirky, anxious main character who’s the underdog in his own kingdom. It works, and he does evolve as many of the other characters do, but it would be nice to see him have a little more agency in his decision making processes. Either way, he’s still a catch and an excellent vehicle for the romance itself.
The themes, while appropriate for the story being told, are often unsupported by the text. There’s a sense that the story the author wanted to tell wasn’t always the one that managed to end up on the page. Gratuitous violence feels out of place, which seems surprising considering the subject matter. And issues are not solved with sufficient clarity or due notice.
I still loved this book to death, and I can tell this is a winning formula that will improve with time. Zargris and Elara work wonderfully together, and the spicy nature of this story elevates it beyond a traditional fantasy novel.
Here’s hoping more from this author, and many others are to come in the future. I had a great time reading it, and if you liked the first book, there’s no doubt you like this one even more.
Side characters like Alyssis still start out very muddled, but thankfully by the end these characters are refined and fully-dimensional. Again, the beginning still struggles, but despite the rocky launch, the story very quickly recovers. It’s clear there’s a lot going on here under the hood. Setup and conflict is more dynamic, worldbuilding gets more chances to shine as part of the story, and the power struggles make more sense.
There’s also a lot less cringy dialogue and confusing writing this time around as well.
There’s a lot of talk of what’s not as bad as before, but don’t get me wrong, this story stands on its own merits quite frequently. It’s well thought out, exciting, paced exceptionally, and has deep, inviting, character drama. There is a slight dragging towards the middle of the story, but it’s also building towards a worthwhile conclusion, and it does so quite spectacularly.
Some plot points were not as well thought out as they could have been, but it is still very solid considering how much is being juggled at once here.
Zargris as a main character feels a little too obvious. Quirky, anxious main character who’s the underdog in his own kingdom. It works, and he does evolve as many of the other characters do, but it would be nice to see him have a little more agency in his decision making processes. Either way, he’s still a catch and an excellent vehicle for the romance itself.
The themes, while appropriate for the story being told, are often unsupported by the text. There’s a sense that the story the author wanted to tell wasn’t always the one that managed to end up on the page. Gratuitous violence feels out of place, which seems surprising considering the subject matter. And issues are not solved with sufficient clarity or due notice.
I still loved this book to death, and I can tell this is a winning formula that will improve with time. Zargris and Elara work wonderfully together, and the spicy nature of this story elevates it beyond a traditional fantasy novel.
Here’s hoping more from this author, and many others are to come in the future. I had a great time reading it, and if you liked the first book, there’s no doubt you like this one even more.
March 1, 2025
First of all, I liked the first book a lot, but Razzan's development beyond the story was a little too limited for me. Nevertheless, Razzan is a good character and works very well in the first part.
Zargris, on the other hand, is exactly what I wanted when I read how he behaves at the beginning of the second book. Of course I'm not spoiling anything here, but I can say that it made me very happy to see how the book ends and I'm very excited to see what happens next with Zargris.
The fact that other supporting characters were highlighted more in the second book also increased the immersion in this world.
The plot is also very strong and you can really empathize with why Zargris makes certain decisions or has concerns. There was even a point in the story where I had to take a 5-minute break because I couldn't see anything because of tears. ^^
All in all really great work Shaidan and I'm already looking forward to the third book. I'll also get the audio version because Chase Johnson did a great job with the first book.
Zargris, on the other hand, is exactly what I wanted when I read how he behaves at the beginning of the second book. Of course I'm not spoiling anything here, but I can say that it made me very happy to see how the book ends and I'm very excited to see what happens next with Zargris.
The fact that other supporting characters were highlighted more in the second book also increased the immersion in this world.
The plot is also very strong and you can really empathize with why Zargris makes certain decisions or has concerns. There was even a point in the story where I had to take a 5-minute break because I couldn't see anything because of tears. ^^
All in all really great work Shaidan and I'm already looking forward to the third book. I'll also get the audio version because Chase Johnson did a great job with the first book.
February 16, 2025
A quick heads up, I've "read" this book through the audiobook version, so some character's names might be wrongly typed hahaha.
So let's get started. This book was a huge improvement to the previous entry of this series, with a lot more complex plot and characters, and more direct involvement with the Celestial Princess. At first the book gave me the impression all the females were too mean and manipulative, but as it progressed it toned down, which was a bit of relief for me, 'cause of how distressing is to see plain meanness without any reason. Zargrass the main character, wasn't really my type to get related in many occasions, considering his personality, but im happy to acknowledge the characters from these series made me feel either aversion or relatableness towards them, since last book haven't felt much.
Now this is particular to the audiobook version, the narrator was excellent, at first it felt a bit funny his intonation, but later I noticed this was the best trait he could bring, raising his voice on the perfect moment to create tension on me, or moment of care with a more tender voice, and so goes on. If you are able to afford it, greatly recommend getting this version of the book!
So let's get started. This book was a huge improvement to the previous entry of this series, with a lot more complex plot and characters, and more direct involvement with the Celestial Princess. At first the book gave me the impression all the females were too mean and manipulative, but as it progressed it toned down, which was a bit of relief for me, 'cause of how distressing is to see plain meanness without any reason. Zargrass the main character, wasn't really my type to get related in many occasions, considering his personality, but im happy to acknowledge the characters from these series made me feel either aversion or relatableness towards them, since last book haven't felt much.
Now this is particular to the audiobook version, the narrator was excellent, at first it felt a bit funny his intonation, but later I noticed this was the best trait he could bring, raising his voice on the perfect moment to create tension on me, or moment of care with a more tender voice, and so goes on. If you are able to afford it, greatly recommend getting this version of the book!
March 14, 2025
Keeping it short and straight (pun intended) again:
I sadly can't give 6 stars but this is what this book is for me. There are less erotic scenes compared to "The Chosen Prince", but these scenes are definitely better handled, especially in the mix along with deeper (heh) story, which goes on with a protagonist I could personally relate to and this also made the violent scenes more difficult to process. I also knew I was in for an emotional ride as I saw the thickness of this book, ~150 pages more than book 1. I am invested in this series.
Just like I wrote in my first review, I absolutely cannot wait for the continuation, as I will keep these lovely characters in my mind until the next book.
And to end it with a really personal note:
I sadly can't give 6 stars but this is what this book is for me. There are less erotic scenes compared to "The Chosen Prince", but these scenes are definitely better handled, especially in the mix along with deeper (heh) story, which goes on with a protagonist I could personally relate to and this also made the violent scenes more difficult to process. I also knew I was in for an emotional ride as I saw the thickness of this book, ~150 pages more than book 1. I am invested in this series.
Just like I wrote in my first review, I absolutely cannot wait for the continuation, as I will keep these lovely characters in my mind until the next book.
And to end it with a really personal note:
April 27, 2025
Under my furious anxiety to know what come next in the series I have just finished reading this book. Once again the author has brought a world to life and never shied away from realism to the world or reality.
This story is a continuation from the first. What does the author have in store for the characters has me on the edge of my seat and wishing the next book was out already.
This story is a continuation from the first. What does the author have in store for the characters has me on the edge of my seat and wishing the next book was out already.
October 25, 2025
Reading the second book in this series and it is very different from the first book. Which is GREAT! It's very refreshing to get more of the whole story of what is going on in this world and have fresh characters to see grow (and fuck this is a book for ADULTS!). The biggest thing is the main character in this one is smart so he keeps making correct guesses at the major plot, BUT, he is also annoying and doesn't like to bath and loves having a trash pile in his room. Honestly don't know what the drake sees in him most of the time other than a nice pp. Also he gets very abused and fucked up but that seems to be normal for this series. I am very excited to see where the next book goes.
November 3, 2025
This book was great; I liked it far more than the first one (though I still love the first one). It had me saying up to 5am to finish it.
The character development is great (particularly with Zargris's development, and his relationship with his sister). The sex scenes were good, and the plot was entertaining (especially Elara's reveal and her motivations, which I had suspected since book one but still somehow surprised me). The ending left me very excited for the third book, satisfied with this book's resolution, and (unlike most books I like) didn't leave me sad that it was over.
The character development is great (particularly with Zargris's development, and his relationship with his sister). The sex scenes were good, and the plot was entertaining (especially Elara's reveal and her motivations, which I had suspected since book one but still somehow surprised me). The ending left me very excited for the third book, satisfied with this book's resolution, and (unlike most books I like) didn't leave me sad that it was over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2025
Though it shares a similar title with the previous volume, this is a journey told through an entirely different lens.
Following the events of the last book, a new face of the world and its hidden knowledge will unfold before your eyes.
As they say, knowledge is power. But the greater the power, the heavier the burden of responsibility.
The balance between light and shadow rests within the dragon’s paw.
And of course, there is sex. This is an erotica after all.
Following the events of the last book, a new face of the world and its hidden knowledge will unfold before your eyes.
As they say, knowledge is power. But the greater the power, the heavier the burden of responsibility.
The balance between light and shadow rests within the dragon’s paw.
And of course, there is sex. This is an erotica after all.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews