Ryu: Ash Beneath The Crown
In the shattered realm of Elysium, two powers divide the land. The radiant Lumia White Bloods, born of sanctified magic, and the Blood-forged Tenebrae Night Bloods, masters of monsters and beasts. Their centuries old feud has left kingdoms crumbling, skies darkened, and blood soaking the soil of a dying world.
To end the endless war, the Kingdom of Elysium calls for a queen one powerful enough to unite the fractured clans. But the path to the throne is forged in agony. Young women from every province born if Esteemed Clans are cast into The Hollow Proving, a deadly maze where reality bends and only the ruthless survive. Those who emerge face the final trial the Sanguine, a brutal arena where contenders wield magic, monsters, and madness for the crown itself.
Among them is Vesperine, a girl marked by secrets even she doesn't understand. She bleeds pearl white, dreams in flame, and carries a power the world has forgotten. When she unleashes something ancient-a creature of dark majesty and untamed loyalty-she draws the gaze of eyes lurking below, a man as dangerous as the beasts he commands.
But in Elysium, nothing is as it seems. Loyalties fracture, monsters remember, and even love can be a weapon. As truth and deception entwine, Vesperine must decide whether she will be the kingdom's salvation or the reason it burns.
Blood will spill. Crowns will break. And beneath the ruins, dragons stir once more.
For readers who love The Hunger Games, Red Queen, and Fourth Wing-welcome to Elysium. Welcome to Ryu.
