The 3 Kingdoms: Volk, Sihr, Shǎn Diàn

Okay, I changed my mind again. 

Instead of The Three Cities, the series will be The Three Kingdoms. I was hoping that making the books about Cities rather than Kingdoms would simplify the plot line, but nope, it didn't work. So, we're back to the original idea.

Guardians of Volk, the first book of The Three Kingdoms will introduce the three kingdoms; Volk, Sihr and Shǎn Diàn. 

Volk is a kingdom that, unlike both Sihr and Shǎn Diàn, runs on both clockwork and magic, one with a rigid society, a polite gloss that covers the steaming underbelly of desperation and ruin. It is a kingdom built upon niceties, order and nobility; where the men are supposed to be gentlemen and the woman, ladies.

Unless you're one of the Guardians. The Guardians, although they are of noble blood, often moved between the high class tea parties and soirees to the prizefights and taverns. They are highly regarded (and feared) and generally spoiled. When you are a Guardian, there is no such thing as a closed door or a closed fist, and boy, do they take that for granted at times.

Volk is a kingdom where the rich gets richer and the poor is, well, poor. Where smiles can hide fangs or claws (in our Guardian's cases, literally) and reputation is everything. Hypocrisy is a way of life and where rules are meant to be broken...as long as you remain discreet.

Sihr, is a kingdom that runs on magic either Wild (magic that the nomadic tribe uses) or Academy (city folk magic), they are very closed off with the neighboring kingdoms, protecting their magic but is opened to trading with both Volk and Shǎn Diàn out of an agreement they made long ago. Although the magic that sweeps the land responds to both man and woman, it is found that woman can control it better. In fact the Magic Academy teaches more woman than men, even in war magic. The city is protected by the Priestesses by blood, magic and sword. 

Because of the abundance of magic, clockwork machines and gadgetry rarely works in this kingdom, so they rarely use them, although they use some but mostly little house objects. 

 Shǎn Diàn is a kingdom that is a combination of three different cities; the Nah, the Ixing and the Hanuk, and is usually always on the brink of civil war. The kingdom is rich in knowledge, clockwork technology and art. They are also famous for their military prowess, agriculture and engineering.