The Chalice and the Blade

by Glenna McReynolds

The Chalice Story:

THE CHALICE AND THE BLADE (Book 1 of 3)

Twin children Ceridwen and Mychael escape the destruction of Carn Merioneth as children when their priestess mother Rhiannon is killed and the castle falls to the warlord Caradoc. Fifteen years later, Ceridwen—now an orphan unaware of her immense inherited power tied to sacred rites and the legacy of the Mother Goddess—flees a forced betrothal to Caradoc and ends up in the tower of Dain Lavrans, a Crusader-haunted alchemist with no innate magic but deep knowledge of arcane secrets. Pursued by enemies seeking to exploit her power, Ceridwen and Dain navigate betrayal, passion, and underground chases through time-warped caverns beneath Carn Merioneth, where mystical creatures and the Quicken-Tree dwell. Their enemies-to-lovers bond forms the foundation for protecting the ancient balance.

DREAM STONE (Book 2 of 3)

Mychael ab Arawn—Ceridwen’s twin brother, orphaned and raised by monks—reclaims Carn Merioneth in battle but is haunted by visions of dragons (pryf) and endless caverns. Drawn back into the underground labyrinths to confront and master these visions, he quests to tame the unleashed dragon spawn and seal threats from the time portals. Joined by Llynya, a fierce Quicken-Tree warrior with a lavender scent and swift blade, he faces manipulation by those who would weaponize his power, ancient enemies, and escalating darkness in the caves. Their reluctant alliance deepens into sensual passion amid sorcery and sacrifice, directly building on the events of book 1 by exploring the same cavern system and legacy that Ceridwen and Dain first encountered.

PRINCE OF TIME (Book 3 of 3)

In a desolate far-future Earth ravaged by apocalypse and the encroaching Dharkkum darkness—caused by the long-ago death of a key 12th-century mage—priestess and princess Avallyn Le Severn awaits her prophesied partner: a mage, warrior, and saint. Instead, she finds Morgan ab Kynan, a cynical 12th-century thief accidentally flung forward through a wyrmhole/time portal (from events tied to Carn Merioneth in book 1). To avert total destruction, they must travel back to the past to save that pivotal mage and restore the timeline. Pursued by villains across eras, their mismatched partnership ignites into fierce romance and mutual redemption. The book unites threads from the entire trilogy—Ceridwen and Dain’s era, Mychael’s cavern quests, the underground portals, and the ancient prophecies—culminating in a high-stakes convergence to heal the fractured world and legacy.

The Series:

In 12th-century Wales, twin siblings Ceridwen and Mychael, heirs to an ancient druidic legacy, are torn from their destroyed home and drawn into quests involving sacred prophecies, underground caverns teeming with mystical creatures and time-warped portals, and fierce romantic bonds forged amid danger and passion. As Ceridwen unites with the tormented alchemist Dain to protect her power, and Mychael allies with the swift warrior Llynya to master visions of dragons and seal ancient threats, their intertwined fates ripple forward to a desolate far-future Earth ravaged by apocalypse. There, priestess Avallyn must partner with a cynical time-displaced thief to journey back and avert catastrophe, uniting the trilogy’s threads of Celtic mysticism, epic romance, and redemption in a desperate battle to restore balance across eras and heal a fractured world.

The Books in the Series:

boookwyrm Review:

The Chalice and the Blade by Glenna McReynolds (Chalice Trilogy Book 1 of 3)

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (because some stories just hit different and deserve extra stars for old-school magic)

boookwyrm, and the Cybernet Book gnomes, have reread this series more times than should be admitted, and every time it pulls us right back in. Set in 12th-century Wales with druids, ancient prophecies, pagan rites, and underground caverns full of weird mystical nonsense (pryf? dragons? yes please). A sorcerer who’s more alchemist-with-Crusade-warrior trauma than sparkly wizard, Dain Lavrans is the morally gray “feared sorcerer” type who basically absconds to his sorcerer’s tower with a young woman, Ceridwen, away from her brute of a fiance, little knowing she’s the key to some massive legacy,

And then everything explodes into enemies-to-lovers steam, forced proximity, hurt/comfort, and epic magical battles.The romance is a hot—erotic discovery vibe without being cringey. The kind where the passion is still wrapped in actual plot and world-building. The most feminine of the Cybernet Book gnomes have swooned many a time over the dark, fascinating hero of Dain Lavrans. The fantasy elements blend Celtic mysticism with real medieval grit so seamlessly it’s like someone took Outlander, added more dragons and alchemy, and turned up the sensuality. Yes, it’s got some dated romance tropes (ripping chemises, etc.), but published in ’98, it predates a ton of modern romantasy and still holds up way better than a lot of newer stuff. The pacing drags a bit in spots if you’re not into lush (…and let me OVER EMPHASIZE LUSH! Because we, at Cybernet Books, love Lush!) descriptions, but when the underground chase hits? *Chef’s kiss.*

If you’re tired of cookie-cutter “chosen-ones” and want something with real stakes, ancient magic that feels earned, and a couple who actually work through their HEA through fire and grit… grab this underrated gem. It’s one of our forever favorite comfort reads… with teeth. 🙂