Blood Child: Book Two in the Democ'Chu Series (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781913973261)

The former pit-rats have reached their new found freedom after the loss of some of their brother-slaves during their treacherous escape from the Outlanders, their former masters. They have battled their way across the entire Outland nation and have arrived tired, battered, short on patience and worn out. Despite this they arrive ready to begin their new life with an optimism that only slaves possess.

Choosing this new life however brings with it a new and deeper awareness of what brotherhood actually means for them as a group, as well as individuals. Their new life will see them learn what it means to integrate as equals in society, as well as learn about time and money as they become paid fighters in the Bloodchildren company.

With new experiences comes new responsibilities, and their need to master their own self-discipline to keep themselves free from trouble and keep their new found freedom alive! The freedom they have won brings with it not only new skills to learn, which they will need to adapt quickly as their first season of fighting is fast approaching, but also how to express and govern themselves and each other.

Within this new society - their fellow mercenaries - the pit-rats encounter politics for the first time. They need to learn to navigate this quickly or risk alienating themselves within their new life. Will they be able to cope with this new life as they discover their own sexuality, surprising betrayal and what they represent to others? Will they share the stories of their former lives with the other members of the Bloodchildren, or will they keep their past hidden as they continue to deal with the pain and trauma they have all suffered? Will they start to heal from their past, or let the past pain fester in their souls?

From in-fighting, dealing with their growing emotions, sailing and finding a place in the world, they need to stick together and have each other's backs when a face from the past shows up and confronts them with their own lack of brotherhood. This face reminds them of where they have come from and reminds them, they themselves are far from perfect brothers. Another step on the road for all of them as they discover what freedom and consequences means.

With a surprise rising within the ranks, and using the skills and knowledge they gained as slaves, will they begin to realise just how powerful they truly are, or will they refuse to acknowledge just how much of a gift their past has been? Will they be able to pass on all of the lessons they have learnt in their former lives, or will they keep it to themselves?

Where this life they have chosen will lead them - only they can choose, but - will it be together, or will the rising number of deaths and miscalculated political alliances destroy them before they have even begun?

Will they carve themselves a legend in the history of the Bloodchildren company, or will they endanger the entire company with their unpredictable nature?

The time for all the former Pit-rats is now!

Time to change the direction of their lives and accept the consequences that go along with that change.

Time to push forward in this new direction, watching each other's backs as they learn what it means to be free.

Time to accept others into the brotherhood that grew between them all in a harsh life of slavery and the adjustment that goes along with that acceptance.

Time to learn to trust others that are not a part of their brotherhood and accept what it means to be trusted by others.

Time to once again fight for their lives as they battle as a group and not alone in the fighting pits.

Time to throw caution to the wind and follow each other and their own hearts as they make new decisions that they never thought they would have to make.

But they are all ready for it, even if they don't know that yet.