Haunted by the past, Rhiannon Carmichael returns to her hometown for her father's funeral, only to uncover a web of secrets and a possible murder, forcing her to confront the family she left behind. *** Victor Carmichael, the titan of local construction industry, is dead. Officially, it was his failing liver that finally did him in. Off the record? He's been murdered, and the only one who suspects it is his prodigal daughter. Gaffney, South Carolina, holds the ghosts of Rhiannon's past - the past she desperately tried to escape. Forced to sift through fractured memories and lies, she must expose a killer possibly lurking in the heart of her family. Every smile hides a secret, and every hug is a potential weapon. Whodunnit? Her mother, Lorraine, who seems to hold back more than tears? Her resentful brother, Tom? Then there are Beverly, the enigmatic interior designer with a past as murky as the swamps surrounding Gaffney, and Aubrey, the glamorous influencer whose connection to Victor runs deeper than anyone knows... Each clue, each whispered secret, pulls Rhiannon deeper into a dangerous game. As the idyllic charm of her quiet hometown crumbles, the lines between friend and foe start to blur. The more time passes, the more she realises: her returnal to Gaffney is not a blissful family reunion. It's a deadly reckoning. © 2025 EvelynHail Exclusively on Wattpad Based on prompt 61: "The silence in room is deafening, as though it has a life of its own. It's time to rewrite the fairytale, but this time, the ending will be yours, and it won't be happy."

Imaya has always loved her family and her home, Navonza, Hanado, but when a single event shatters everything she thought she knew, she is forced to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. Some things can never be unseen, and some memories will never fade. As a strangely familiar voice guides her through the ever-changing streets, Imaya discovers that the Feast of the Basilisk is far more than just an old story. Sometimes loyalty can be just as cruel as betrayal. My official ONC2025 Entry Prompt 96. The road you've traveled almost every day of your life begins to change - transforming into a dark, terrifying place right before your eyes.

Bound to a magical bangle and a demon, sea drifter Ninnette has only three days to break the curse--or die trying. ---------- Ninnette is a sea drifter with the power to command water, dredging shipwrecks and salvaging lost treasure. But when she braves a wreck no one else dares to dive, she finds no gold, no jewels--only a strange clockwork bangle. The moment she wears it, the artifact latches onto her wrist, binding her to an ancient curse, and to Kazi, the demon who leaves destruction wherever he goes. Kazi is infuriating and dangerous. He refuses to help her break the curse. Worse, a secret organization is hunting them, believing the bangle to be a map to something far greater than treasure. But the true danger isn't the organization. It isn't Kazi. It's the curse. The moment Ninnette puts on the bangle, a countdown begins. If she doesn't break the curse in three days, she will die like every wearer before her. ---------- ONC 2025 Honorable Mention ---------- Romantasy High Fantasy Fantasy Adventure SciFi Steampunk Fantasci Young Adult

As water is depleted for its magic, a vigilante uses a cold heiress to infiltrate high society and steal their water before the world--and her family--burns. 🜄 After washing up in the desert, nearly dead and with no memories, twenty-something-year-old Lana had a feeling she was involved in something dangerous. "Vigilantes targeting the wealthy" fits the bill, especially when the main perpetrator is still at large. Not that she would blame her past self, for the rich are intent on destroying the world, draining water of its magic and leaving behind its toxic remains. So Lana's surprised to learn she's the bodyguard for one such wealthy heiress. Virre Averten lives up to her fearsome reputation, despite only recently inheriting her fortune at twenty-three. Harsh and cold-hearted, Virre hoards water's magic just as much as her family's trade secrets, and she throws Lana back into her employment to protect them all. Lana has no idea how she tolerated the woman, but she's certain it was for a good reason. For instance, gaining access to the most exclusive events in the city. Thanks to each extravagant gala and lavish feast, Lana dissolves not only the facade of the wealthy, but that of Virre as well. Except she's not the only one fishing for secrets. With their enemies closing in and the world's magic running dry, the women must work together to reveal the truth before they, and all the water, burn for good. 🜄 INCLUDES ✓ Sapphic bodyguard-heiress romance ✓ Magical fight scenes ✓ Environmentalism and sociopolitical commentary ✓ Secret spy stuff ONC 2025 LONGLISTER Word Count: +39k Genres: High Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance Written: 05 FEB 2025 - 28 FEB 2025 Narrative: Third Person Limited, Past Tense ★ This story is only available on Wattpad by @laurendoubleu.

*Slow updates, but if you have read any of this thank you! Interstice • Science Fiction • Horror _______ Dr. Merilyn Bascom Quartermain was scheduled to return to the Olympus Moon Colony a month ago. Now, her father, a high ranking official with T-CUAS, The Center for Universal Astronomical Studies and Air Force Commander, Jethro Bascom is sending a military team to go and bring her in. If they can find her. When an impromptu visitation from a formerly unknown Alien species surprise lands in Olympus, a species that wasn't yet listed in the Federation, of course she left with them after hearing their plea for help. A seemingly fragile race and somehow pathetic, their biome was causing sterility and she was only supposed to collect critical information and return, until everything could be investigated and vetted. But they left the colony in an uproar. The peaceful community was now in chaos over the incident, going into lockdown until they could decontaminate the facilities and residents. Jethro couldn't really fault her. Like father, like daughter. But this time, the fairy tale rescue was his to rewrite. He was going along because this time, the moral of the story was his call. And it might not have a happy ending. _____________ Ⓜ️This book is rated mature for profanity, adult sexual situations, drug use, suspense and brief mentions of nudity.

K-pop idol Minjae and eccentric home chef Hana meet at a cooking competition, sparking a simmering rivalry that turns into a recipe for romance - and potential disaster for Minjae's career. ___ As the golden voice of the K-pop group Starlight, Minjae has the world at his feet - adoring fans, sold-out concerts, and a life most people only dream of. But behind the glamour, he craves something more: a chance to be himself; to show off his passion for cooking. But the pressure to conform to his family's wishes and continue as an idol means pushing that aside. When the chance to show his passion literally smacks him in the face, Minjae, under an alias, finds himself in uncharted territory, swapping the familiar stage lights for the stovetops of a prestigious culinary competition. When a quirky, fiercely talented Hana turns a friendly rivalry into an unexpected connection, Minjae finds himself drawn to her passion and ability to be true to herself - qualities he has long lost. Worse, as the heat of the competition ramps up, Minjae's schedule becomes difficult to keep up with, and he must decide whether his love for cooking is enough to shatter his status as an idol. Can Minjae handle this newfound connection while juggling both the cooking competition and his duties as an idol, or will he fall under the pressure of it all? ____ Prompts: 31 and 36 Watpad word count: 16,454 ONLY AVAILABLE ON WATTPAD Cover by TaeTaeGinger

Exiled for a crime he cannot remember, former war general Kaviroth returns to his tribe upon hearing of an advancing enemy army. Desperate to prove his worth once more, he offers his help - but the shamans have already chosen their path: an ancient, forbidden ritual they believe will save them all. But as the ritual spirals out of control, Kaviroth must confront dark forces tied to his past - the blood he's spilled, and the bones of something ancient. To save his people, he must unravel the truth, before the monster they've summoned destroys everything. This is my entry for the ONC2025 Prompts: 39. An ancient tribe, living for centuries, accidentally summons a monster. Now, they must figure out how to undo the chaos they've unleashed. 13. When you challenge a magical being, the rules are simple: you must finish what you started, no matter the cost.

ONC2025 Round 2 Ambassador Pick 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐎𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞-𝐚 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧, 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝. Unicorns are sacred in the kingdom of Unara, their magic a gift only bestowed upon the worthy-or stolen through death. Someone is hunting them, and if the killings continue, their magic will fall into the wrong hands. Determined to uncover the truth, Oskar sets out to find the culprit. But the deeper he digs, the darker the secrets he unearths--secrets that could shake the very foundation of the kingdom. A standalone fantasy adventure, The Unicorn's Blessing follows Prince Oskar before the events of The Girl with Scars, revealing the choices that shaped the man he would become. Entered into the Open Novella Contest 2025 | @OpenNovellaContest - Rules & Guidelines: https://www.wattpad.com/story/387452246 **Main Prompt** 12. While hiking through a forest, you stumble upon a unicorn's horn. **Secondary Prompt** 130. Protect this with your life. ©2025 E. S. Elias All Rights Reserved. Book Created & Published to Wattpad: 02.01.2025 Book Marked as Completed: 04.08.2025 Cover: Me @DesignsbyEH I used Canva.com | Cover is temporary and subject to several changes. Word Count: 26,234 / 20,000 Goals: Round 1 ✔ | 2,000 words ✔ | Round 1 Winner ✔ Round 2 ✔ | 8,000 words ✔ Round 3 _ | 20,000 words ✔ LONGLIST _ | SHORTLIST _ Honorable Mention? _ | Ambassadors' Pick ✔ Mentioned in Ambassador Newsletter ✔ Rankings: #ONC2025: #21 on 02.02.2025 | #15 on 02.03.2025 | #12 on 03.24.2025 #opennovellacontest2025: #15 on