❈ Watty's 2019 Fantasy Winner ❈ 'I'll take pride over power and guts over greed'. The five nations of Schamaria have been in conflict for many years now. With a war breaking out and the continent being divided into two sides, irreversible damage and stigmas on the earth and the people are inevitable. But when a royal heirloom -- which happens to contain the secret to gaining magical and elemental abilities -- is stolen from the Seyali Palace, the raging flame of the battle is only fueled. A gang leader, a thief, a magic manipulator, a spy, a traitor to the crown; they know nothing about each other, yet they must come together to find the Kingfisher before everyone else. When dark secrets and unseen connections are revealed, when greed lays its golden claws on the adventurers' hearts, and when it all becomes a game of power and deception, will they be able to reach their goal? Five strangers. Five motives. One target. ⸻ Long chapters ahead! Word count ⇢ 117,363

Adele knows she witnessed a murder - what she doesn't know is just how personal it is. ***** A girl was brutally murdered in the basement of a sorority house in spring 2011. Adele Theroux thinks she saw the killer - and the killer definitely saw her. What she doesn't know is why this all happened and who this guy is. As she tries to solve the mystery from a distance while in witness protection, the connections keep getting weirder and more personal. Might she be able to relate to the killer in a way that no one else can? And what does that mean about her own psyche? *2019 Watty Award for Mystery/Thriller* [[word count: 50,000-60,000 words]] Cover designed by April Alforque