In a world poisoned by blood and lies, power is a blade sharpened on betrayal-and Farren is the storm no one saw coming. Born from the clash of Solari and Astari blood, she is the reckoning they fear: wild, untamed, and soul-tied to a crown prince who would own her like a weapon. But fate's dark magic is a cage-and tonight, Farren breaks it. On the night meant to seal her obedience, she flees the palace like a blaze in winter-burning every bridge behind her. With only Kiran-the haunted ghost of broken promises-and Riven-the sharp-edged rebel with secrets as deep as blood-she vanishes into the shadows of forgotten magic and fractured loyalties. Drawn to the shattered ruins of ancient Lloerden, Farren hunts the ghosts of a past long buried beneath stone and starlight. But something older-and darker-stirs inside her veins. A power more dangerous than any throne, more ruthless than any prince. A prophecy whispers of a girl flanked by firelight and storm-one who will rise in wind and starlight to drown the darkness in flame. But the true question is not who she is. It's how much darkness she's willing to embrace to bring balance back.

It doesn't matter how she ended up in this four-walled room. What matters is she gets out. ***** After a night out in New York City, Liliana Rossi wakes up in a windowless room with no recollection of how she got there. And she's not alone. The dark and tattooed Mateo Aguilar is also held captive. As the two struggle to survive and hatch an escape plan, they also struggle with growing attraction toward each other, facing Lili with the biggest question yet: is Mateo the reason she's here, or the one who's going to save her? ✨ Wattys 2018 Shortlist & Featured Story ✨ Content warning: this story references themes that readers might find triggering, including drug use and sexual assault. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]] Cover designed by Stefanie Saw