Nightshade | ONC 2023

| Round 2 Winner & Ambassador's Pick |

Nightshade.

It's a name spoken only in whispers for fear that speaking it aloud will summon her. It's the air of death that hangs on the wind and lurks in shadows. It's a curse, a deadly blight that leaves pain, misery, and a single purple flower.

Azalea is a weapon, forged in blood and pain. By night, she lurks in the shadows, using her skills to make a name for herself under the careful eye of the King of Assassins. By day, she's nothing more than a simple lady, a ward of a wealthy Lord.

When a contract goes wrong, Azalea must use all of her skills to play a deadly game- one that leaves her in the midst of her enemies. Beneath her jewels and lace, a monster waits. But something far darker lurks on her horizon.

|Prompts 33 & 62|