When childhood shadows stretch too long, the line between friend and stranger blurs. Elizabeth hunts for Espen - lost, changed, and haunted by secrets darker than the Glasgow streets. Finn, her enigmatic neighbor, offers shelter and silence, but his presence stirs something unresolved beneath the surface - a fragile thread tangled with danger, desire, and distrust. As a cold wave of violence crashes through the city, Elizabeth is pulled between what she thought she knew and the truths clawing at the edges of her heart. In a world where love and obsession wear the same face, how far will she go before the fractures become too wide to mend? A haunting tale of friendship, obsession, and sacrifice that will linger long after the final page. murder mystery; kidnapping(s) right where you left me original; 2025 -ashleyylynne

The story starts with "Once upon a time" and ends up with "She died with her head unattached to her body." And her world did not end with a bang, or a scream but rather in one small sob.

Of Cages and Crowns is now published as a Hardcover, and E-book with Wattpad Books! As a Wattpad reader, you can access both the Wattpad Original Edition and Wattpad Books Published Edition here upon purchase. Thank you so much for your support! ***** Destined to compete for the throne, Monroe Benson must fight nine girls for the right to rule. If she wins, she will be crowned queen. To lose is to die. ***** Monroe Benson is marked and goddess-touched, one of ten heirs to the Erydian throne. When the next Culling is announced, she has no choice but to prepare to fight for her life against nine other marked girls. When the competing heirs begin to drop dead outside of trials, Monroe must decide if her fire ability is enough to protect her from a new unseen enemy. Can she survive the Culling and take the throne, or should she kill the queen and dismantle the competition from the inside? In a palace of lies and power-hungry court members, Monroe must be careful who she trusts. The Culled Crown is the first book in The Culled Crown series. [[word count: 150,000-200,000 words]] Cover designed by Natasha Shaikh *** Publishing through Wattpad Books - 11-22-22 Pre-order now!