DonnaRae Menard

DonnaRae Menard writes mystery, historical fiction, and fantasy, often placing determined outsiders within communities governed by secrecy or unequal power. The Waif and the Warlord is a fantasy novel about Rhys, an orphan presented as tribute to a ruler who intends to train her for public combat. A castle wizard believes she has another destiny and removes her from his control. Rhys later forms a bond with a dragon and befriends Petetrich, the ruler’s hidden son, creating an alliance among characters whom the kingdom has treated as disposable. Menard’s other books include In the Shadow of Pharaoh and several regional mysteries, showing a range that extends beyond fantasy. The Waif and the Warlord is described as a fable for teen and older readers, with dragons, a troll, court custom, and rebellion supporting its account of isolation and self-discovery. Rhys’s importance comes from loyalty and choice rather than inherited status, while her dragon bond challenges the tradition used to justify political authority.