Brotherhood of the Wolf: The Lesser Evil follows a young noble from Constantinople as he navigates a city on the brink of chaos and confronts the sinister undercurrents that threaten its fragile balance. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Picture this: A mother stands in a candlelit room in Constantinople, knife trembling in her hand. Her beautiful son sleeps peacefully, unaware that monsters hunt him. This single moment – a parent facing an impossible choice – sparked our entire story. When mothers in our test audiences first encountered this scene, many had to pause reading. One said “I get why she did it–but I wish it wasn’t this way.” That’s exactly the primal, emotional response we wanted to tap into.

I find the world you created in this story brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?

We needed a setting that would instantly grab attention, like a snake in the grass. Constantinople in 1417 was perfect. Early readers told us they felt the world was “lived in”” This concrete, sensory-rich world pulls you in before the horror begins.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this story?

Imagine facing two choices – both horrific. This moral crucible comes straight from the 64th chapter of the Qur’an, particularly the command to “fear God all you can.” Through Nikephoros’ journey, we explore what happens when innocence collides with pure evil. What price would you pay to maintain order when chaos threatens everything? It’s about the gut-wrenching decisions that define who we become.

I find a problem in well-written stories in that I always want there to be another book to keep the story going. Is there a second book planned?

“The Lesser Evil” is just the beginning – think of it as Chapter 0 in a dark tapestry we’re weaving called Brotherhood of the Wolf. Like peeling back layers of an onion, each new story will reveal more secrets, more horrors, and more impossible choices our characters must face. And trust me, what we’ve planned will make this first chapter look tame by comparison.

Author Website: https://talesofkhayr.com