Welcome to our Saturday Spotlight feature where we at Read Indie Fantasy will be hosting a new spotlight every Saturday to showcase the incredible talent of self-published fantasy authors!
Please welcome Demetria Paxton and No Gods No Kings, a new dark fantasy romance from the POV of the tortured MMC, featuring found family, lots of romantic yearning, and a plot twist to keep you on your toes.
In the People’s Kingdom, obedience means safety from the horrors of the Beast – a vicious dragon ensnared in magical slumber. But how can Torver obey when his very existence is illegal?
Inexplicably devoid of the magic that blesses everyone else in the Kingdom, Torver can’t get his papers – and will hang for it, if caught. Cornered, Torver lives in the shadow of his only friend, Bassen, whose powerful death magic makes survival a daily struggle.
But when the pair save the life of a genderless fae, a fugitive from across the forbidden border wall who brings a dire warning, their hard-won safety is shattered. Thrust into the midst of an oncoming war that only they can prevent, the unlikely trio must travel the length of the Kingdom to slay the terrible Beast of legend, robbing their invaders of their greatest weapon.
But along the way, as they uncover deadly secrets and shattering truths, Torver is forced to confront not only his growing feelings for their fae defector companion, but also the beasts inside himself.
Because in the People’s Kingdom, obedience is a heavy, deadly thing.
And the price may just be too high.
No Gods No Kings by Demetria Paxton is releasing on April 20, 2026.
About the Author
On an isolated Cumbrian peninsula in the year 1996, a child was born who would go on to change the world. At the same time, in a room across the hall, Demetria Paxton was being unceremoniously extracted with a pair of forceps.
Decades later, she achieved a BA in Mandarin Chinese, an MA in Global Governance and Diplomacy, and was even accepted onto a PhD in International Relations. But it’s to reading and writing weird, angsty fantasy novels that she’s returned time and time again – and where she is now directing her focus.
Demetria now formally identifies as a writer above all else. Her short fiction has been published by Longshot Island, Grindstone Literary, and Silly Goose Press, with long-form novels upcoming.
- Website: www.DemetriaPaxton.com
- Instagram: @demetriaspages
- TikTok: @demetriaspages
