In a vibrant kingdom filled with sun-warmed roads, flowering gardens, and ancient rivers, Lalima is known for her keen intellect and curious spirit. But when an afternoon trip to her family's orchard ends in a terrifying fall into a deep brick well, panic forces her to make a fatal choice. Trapped in the icy water with a broken ankle, she accepts a rescue from a mysterious, three-foot-tall spirit standing on the water's surface, and blindly promises him her firstborn child in exchange for her life.
Years pass, and the nightmare fades into what Lalima hopes was merely a childhood delusion. She marries Prince Dakshi, a brave and thoughtful ruler, and together they welcome a newborn son. But their bliss is shattered when the little man suddenly reappears in the palace nursery, wielding impenetrable steel skin and demands his due: the young prince. Granted a brief one-month reprieve to guess his name or forfeit her child forever, Lalima seeks every scholar and ranger in the realm, but all efforts prove futile against the creature's dark magic.
Meanwhile, Prince Dakshi returns from fighting a fierce war against northern invaders whose soldiers wore unyielding steel armor. During battle, Dakshi uncovers the key to their secret, a sentient, magical book belonging to the "Steel-Skinned Six," a legend of six magical brothers.
Uniting their strength and intelligence, Lalima and Dakshi turn the magical tome against the trickster spirit. In a tense nursery standoff, they use his true name—Rumpel—to break his enchantments, strip away his power, and save their family. Rich with cultural depth, high stakes, and clever twists, Rumpel by H. Jason Schulz is an enchanting reimagining of a timeless story about courage, family, and the power of a name.
