Magic is a death sentence. Rowan has spent his entire life making sure no one finds out he has it. Apprenticed to a blacksmith in the shadow of the War of the Roses, he keeps his head down and his secrets buried — until a phoenix enchants his hammer and changes everything. Now the very power he has fought to conceal is the power most likely to get him killed. With war brewing and a town that burns people like his mother, Rowan faces an impossible choice: use his gift to protect the people he loves, or use it to survive. Some choices forge a hero. Others forge something darker. The Forge of Law is the first book in The Old Forge Trilogy — perfect for fans of dark, grounded historical fantasy with moral stakes, forbidden magic, and a hero who isn't sure he's one of the good ones.