Jack Heckel

The Ptichfork of Destiny

Life in the Kingdom of Royaume has been happily ever for King William Pickett and his fiancée, Lady Rapunzel. But when Volthraxus, the Great Dragon of the North, returns looking for the love of his life, the Great Wyrm of the South, it becomes clear that some fairy tales never end.

After Volthraxus discovers his love was slain by the newly crowned king, he seeks his revenge by kidnapping Rapunzel. Once again, Will teams up with Edward Charming, the only man in all the kingdom with the skill, ego, and dashing good looks to fight a dragon. Our heroes’ fates depend on finding a weapon re-forged in dragon blood—the Pitchfork of Destiny.

But as the two set off after the dragon, Charming’s bride, Lady Elizabeth, falls into the clutches of a mysterious sorcerer known as the Dracomancer, who has his own plans for Royaume.

A Fairy-tale Ending 

Collected for the first time, A Fairy-tale Ending comprises two volumes of Jack Heckel’s Charming Tales: Once Upon a Rhyme and Happily Never After to become the first full novel in the Charming Tales series.

Prince Charming had one destiny: to slay the dragon and save the princess. Both have been achieved, except there’s a problem: Charming had nothing to do with either. A farmer named Will Pickett succeeded where royalty had failed—and this simply will not stand.

Thus begins an epic adventure that has Prince Charming and Will Pickett vying with each other for the throne by challenging trolls, outwitting scoundrels, and facing all manner of fairy-tale creatures. All the while a dark sorcery envelops Castle White, and Will’s sister Liz and her friend Lady Rapunzel uncover a threat to the kingdom.

The fate of Royaume hangs in the balance as Charming tries to salvage his reputation, and the clock is ticking…