The Mortal And The Wicked-- ONC 2023

ONC 2023 Shortlister

His features had haunted her for years; a boy with silver eyes peering out from beneath a mask of bone. His body cloaked in darkness, a wicked grin upon his lips that spoke of treachery-- a smile that had broken countless hearts.
And in that instant, in the midst of this game of life and death, Lucy wondered if hers would be next...
....................

Lucy was warned never to trust those within the Carnival of The Lost-- a circus of strange creatures who spend their nights in performance, vanishing during the day. Yet she is drawn in by its music, her dreams filled with the face of a mysterious boy who's eyes shine pale as the moon, the air of a dark power shrouding him.
But when by her own hand a deadly mistake is made, she must play the carnival master's wicked game to set everything right.

Written for the Open Novella Contest 2023, this novella is a companion book to my short story 'At Autumn's Edge.'
Prompt used; 49. "Master the rules of the game until you can play it better than they can."

Cover image AI generated using Canva. Cover composition made by the author.