A Garden Grows follows Laurel, a woman who's spent years carrying the weight of loss and regret. After everything she's been through, she's learned to survive by keeping her heart protected and her world small. But life has a way of opening doors when we least expect it. When Robert reenters her life, he brings with him old memories, unfinished emotions, and the chance to heal what's been buried for too long. Together, they navigate the delicate space between forgiveness and rediscovery, learning that even after heartbreak, something beautiful can still take root. It's a story about healing, second chances, and the courage it takes to open yourself again to love and life. Laurel's journey is one of growth not the kind that happens overnight, but the slow, steady kind that begins when you finally believe you deserve something more.

Echoes of Atherion: The Riftborn Book I of the Echoes of Atherion Saga When six strangers from Earth are pulled through a fracture in reality, they awaken in a living world called Atherion-a realm that breathes, remembers, and judges. Each carries a mark that burns with an ancient element: Fire, Water, Wind, Stone, Spirit, and Void. Together, they are the Riftborn-chosen not by prophecy, but by the realm's desperate will to survive. Across the shattered continents of Atherion, a tyrannical force known as the Quiet Citadel is building a machine to rewrite creation itself: the False Song Engine. It feeds on the world's heartbeat, turning breath into obedience, life into silence. Guided only by the echoes of a long-dead queen whose messages come in fragments and riddles, the Riftborn must learn to master powers that answer more to fear than command-and face the truth that their arrival may have come too soon. As the Citadel's armies rise and the world itself begins to wake, Atherion's fate hinges on their unity. But every gift in this world demands a price, and every heartbeat counts toward a debt that someone must pay.

In the quiet town of Paradise, Lyra has spent her life hiding in plain sight-lonely, haunted by dreams that blur into nightmares, and marked by whispers she cannot explain. She believes herself ordinary, until the day a stranger steps into her café. Alastor Morningstar is no ordinary man. The son of Lucifer, heir to the Shadow Realm, and executioner of the damned, he has sworn never to love. Yet when he meets Lyra, something stirs in him-a fragile light daring to pierce the darkness he has carried for centuries. But Lyra is not simply a girl with a kind smile and soft laughter. She is the Hollow-born-prophesied child feared by both Heaven and Hell. Angels hunt her, demons covet her, and ancient powers stir in the corners of her dreams, whispering names long forgotten. As shadows gather, Alastor finds himself torn between duty and desire, brotherhood and betrayal. And Lyra must face the truth of what she is becoming: a force of ash and flame, destined either to bring balance to the realms or to burn them to ruin. Together, they will discover that love can be both sanctuary and weapon. And in a war where every vow demands blood, even the purest devotion may ignite the end of all things. ⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️ This tale contains mature and dark themes, and is laced with dark romance, religious imagery, obsession, nightmares, blood, desire, and death. Copyright Notice This work, including the characters Alastor Morningstar, Lyra, Jasper, Azriel, and all original settings, lore, and narrative elements, is the sole intellectual property of Wendy Morales. Any reproduction, distribution, or adaptation without explicit written consent is strictly prohibited. © 2025 Wendy Morales. All rights reserved.