Evil spirits. A cursed prince. Death itself in disarray. Iris just wants to go home, but fate has other plans for this young priestess and her odd companions. /// The land of Erinlin is dying, its ancient traditions choked out by the Kaerent church and its true priestesses, the Candlemaidens, increasingly regarded with fear and suspicion. All Iris wants is to tend her candles, win her shade battles, and chat with the spirits of her realm. But when she is torn away from her home by the Kaerent king, she learns that her country needs her to be far more than a typical Candlemaiden-- she must be as the legendary priestesses of old and walk through Death itself. *** Cover help from the awesome @ArdenBrooks. Special thanks to @rainersalt, @giveitameaning, and @piperjones033 !

||𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐲𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫|| [𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭...] The princess of Niveus is cursed. Overflowing with magic she can't control, the young heir sets her kingdom on a path of despair, and consequently invites misfortune and death into her midst. A fire burns within her, one that will turn the whole world to ash if it is to be unleashed. Or so Felix was told by the queen of the opposing kingdom of Furvus. He is given a simple task: kill the princess and in return, he will be pardoned from the consequences of his countless murders. Being an assassin raised to do nothing but kill, he sets out eager to complete his mission and earn his freedom. The price of one girl's blood is a small one to pay if it means he can get away from his past. But the truth is not so black and white, and Felix finds his attention snatched away from his mission by the mystery behind Princess Aiko. When her attendant and seer promises him knowledge in exchange for his service, he must choose between his mission and his safety. As tensions arise between Felix, himself, and his kingdom, he learns that he must trust the very center of his problems if he wants to make it out alive. Together, he and Aiko might be able to uncover the truth behind her curse and put a stop to the plot of Furvus's power-hungry Queen. ✴︎20x Featured | Editor's Choice February 2023 ~Completed! ~Cover by the fantastic @-aceospades- ! ~Book One in the Ashes Duology