Necrotic Dawn is a dark fantasy novel with psychological thriller elements, exploring the twisted fates of twin sisters Aurora and Ember.
For the past ten years, the sisters have been secretly protected by the dragon Ilios, who harbors a forbidden l...
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"Come on, wake up!" Ember borderline yells at me as she yanks the blankets off me.
I wake up with a start. The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. As I reach for my blanket to hide from the blinding rays, I hear it more than see it when she tosses my thick blanket onto her bed on the other side of the room. "Nice try but I know better than to leave your blanket where you can reach it."
I squint, forcing my eyes to adjust faster, take aim, then launch my pillow across the room.
Thwack.
She lets out a startled shriek as it hits her square in the face. I suppress my pleased grin as I stretch, joints satisfyingly popping. I let out a groan as my joints pop then relax as I sit up on my bed just in time for my pillow to hit me in the side of the head. Ember cackles as she bolts out of the room before I can retaliate.
I glare at the door my sister disappeared through before getting up and getting ready for the day. I pull on my favorite green gown, its floral embroidery catching the morning light. It is a stark contrast to Embers scarlet and orange gowns. I brush and braid my hair before lining my green eyes with black.
I smile at my reflection in our small mirror. Content as I am going to be, I slip on my boots and go out to join my sister in our kitchen. She already has water on to boil for our morning tea and is in the cellar. I pull out some of the lemon muffins I baked yesterday and set the table as she emerges with a couple of eggs. I take them from her and have them cooked by the time the water is ready for the tea. I place our breakfast on our plates as my sister makes our tea.
"I am going into the market after breakfast," Ember tells me as we sit to eat. "Do you want to come?"
I shake my head as tuck my trembling hands away before she notices. I plaster on my prettiest, and fakest, smile. "I am going to the river to see if I can get lucky," I reply.
Ember rolls her eyes. "I swear you are part fish. You go to the river all the time, come to the market with me. Rosie hasn't seen you in forever. She asked about you last time I went."
I school my face to hide the twinge of guilt I feel for not going to see my friend. Or is it pain? She didn't even see. Have I gotten that good? Or does she not care anymore?
I stare down at my tea, suddenly finding it extremely interesting. "You know that the soul crystals are carried by the current. I could miss a prism crystal if I don't go."
Ember lets out an annoyed sigh. "Yes or you could miss nothing and go with me. You haven't been into town since the spring festival and summer festival is only a few weeks away."
I try not to think about the disaster that happened during the spring festival when Byron, my life long best friend, asked me to marry him. I shut him down in glorious fashion by laughing. Not because I am callous and mean but genuinely because I thought he was joking.
