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 !

Following the birth of her first child, Cordelia Waters suffers from a severe postpartum psychosis. When six months later, her baby goes missing, Cordelia becomes the prime suspect. Cordelia Waters appears to have the perfect life---a thriving career, a loving marriage to Weston, and a spacious home in the suburbs. United in their ambitions, Cordelia and Weston have always agreed on everything, especially on choosing a child-free existence. That harmony shatters when Cordelia unexpectedly learns she is pregnant. While Weston embraces fatherhood with joy, Cordelia's world is upended by the reality she never wanted. ​Six months after the birth of their daughter Emerald, tragedy strikes: Emerald vanishes from her crib without a trace. As the search unfolds, unsettling questions arise. What happened to Emerald? Why does Cordelia struggle to recall the events of that morning? Suspicion builds as Cordelia's story unravels, and Weston fears the worst---that his wife, battling her own instability, may be responsible for the disappearance. ​Facing mounting pressure and desperate to clear her name, Cordelia launches her own investigation into Emerald's disappearance. She knows that proving her innocence is her only hope. But as the authorities dig deeper, long buried secrets resurface, and Cordelia's grip on reality is tested. Soon, everyone---Weston, the police, and even Cordelia herself---begins to question what is true and what is imagined. ​This psychological suspense novel explores motherhood, marriage, memory, and the complexities of mental health, weaving an intense narrative that challenges every assumption Cordelia---and the reader---holds.