just as the title says poems that it

Shadow is a mystery to the city of Lament. A thief by night and an average bystander by day. With no family to lean on, she was left to fend for herself in the dangerous district of Orchid. Killing became a means for survival. When she's targeted by the government, she's taken captive. Prepared for death, she's met with a choice; work with the government under Project Reform or die a young death. Seeing the obvious choice, she decides to work with the government as a supervised mentor to five trainees. Any slip ups could cost her her life. However, with a hidden past and an unknown future, she seems all too willing to be there.

Chapter One of a story I started. I'm only posting chapter one to get some feedback so I can see what works and what doesn't. It was a normal assignment: "parent" an egg for two weeks to learn about responsibility. For Kyle, however, the end of the assignment brings about a whole new beginning.

Evil spirits. A cursed prince. Death itself in disarray. Iris just wants to go home, but fate has other plans for this young priestess and her odd companions. /// The land of Erinlin is dying, its ancient traditions choked out by the Kaerent church and its true priestesses, the Candlemaidens, increasingly regarded with fear and suspicion. All Iris wants is to tend her candles, win her shade battles, and chat with the spirits of her realm. But when she is torn away from her home by the Kaerent king, she learns that her country needs her to be far more than a typical Candlemaiden-- she must be as the legendary priestesses of old and walk through Death itself. *** Cover help from the awesome @ArdenBrooks. Special thanks to @rainersalt, @giveitameaning, and @piperjones033 !