Two girls. Two secrets. Only one can survive. Years before Nelle Wychthorn plans her escape, Tabitha Catt may unearth something in a Horned God's lair that is the key to freedom. Cover Design by Ren Tachibana

❝𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐞.❞ A hundred concubines lived in Emperor Sylvos' inner court - the heart of his thorned fortress. With a cruel ranking system, only favored concubines had the honor of meeting with His Majesty. And only the woman able to bear him a child could become empress. Raine Stjorme had climbed the ranks to the top. And after praying each night, she was finally with child. Yet all this was rewarded with the cruelest of fates. Murdered by the man she loved, Raine cursed Emperor Sylvos with her dying breath. She cursed his whole court as they snickered at her final moments. And her curse had taken root. Now, Raine awakens three years before her destined death, on the fateful day she first encounters the emperor. Armed with this second chance, she vows to make him fall - and to bring his empire down with him. But when faced with the tyrant who claimed her heart, could she still follow through? ✦✦✦ 𝙏𝙍𝙊𝙋𝙀𝙎 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿: -𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 -𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 -𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙮 -𝘼𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙚 -𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 -𝙑𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 -𝘽𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙁𝙈𝘾 -𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨

Sara Gaspard swore she'd do anything to find those responsible for her sister's death, but teaming up with the Sin of Pride is more than she bargained for. ***** Desperate and dying, Sara Gaspard promises her soul to the Sin of Pride if he'll find the madmen responsible for ruining her life, but they soon discover her wish is more complicated than expected. Together, Sara and Pride delve into a twisted world of insidious plots, occult fanaticism, and paranormal disaster as they search for answers and struggle to survive. As the danger in the city of Verweald rises, Sara and Pride must find the cult before the newest threat haunting the city's bloody streets claims them both. [[Book 1, the Bereft Series]] [[Writer's Debut Watty Award Winner]] [[Readers Choice Award]] [[Original Draft]]