The Alchemy of Treason

Friends. Foes. Where is the Line?

Conor and his fellow Recon Marines return from their quest for the Sword of Categym only to find the Galel kingdom of Cor Legear under siege. The forces of the mighty Empire of Ar-Annator mass on the frontier, while the Marines must fight their way through enemy-held territory to reach friendly lines. But survival is only the beginning.

When a vicious assassination attempt leaves King Uven gravely wounded, traitorous elements among his own retainers move to seize the throne. A deeper, darker sorcerous conspiracy is at work—one long planned by the Empire and the foul powers they serve. In a land of ice, monsters, and ancient betrayals, mundane treachery carries eternal consequences.

Outnumbered, out-supplied, and cut off, the battle-hardened Marines and their Galel allies must adapt on the fly—blending modern tactics and firepower with the brutal realities of a world steeped in dark magic. Loyalties are tested, lines blur between friend and foe, and the fate of an entire kingdom hangs in the balance as darkness threatens to engulf Cor Legear.

The Alchemy of Treason is the gripping fifth installment in Peter Nealen’s acclaimed military fantasy series The Lost.

Peter Nealen is a former Reconnaissance Marine and combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan now living in Montana. A reader of history, philosophy, and speculative fiction, he brings hard-earned tactical insight and unflinching realism to his storytelling.

As the author of the bestselling American Praetorians series and multiple entries in WarGate Books’ military fiction catalog—including The Lost series—Nealen delivers gripping tales of modern warriors thrust into extraordinary circumstances. His work resonates with fans of gritty military action, survival thrillers, and dark fantasy.

When he’s not writing, Peter continues to explore the intersections of strategy, conflict, and the human spirit.