In the year 1880. Tensions are escalating between the formidable kingdoms of Astoria and Lithvania, each vying for dominance. Caught in the crossfire of this growing war, the city of Roth teeters on the brink of destruction, its sovereignty a glittering prize for these power-hungry nations.
Amelia has recently suffered the loss of her father, a heartache that casts long shadows over her existence. Navigating grief proves to be a hard journey, and though she strives to retain a front of normality, an impending threat lurks on the horizon. This menace threatens to seize her father's cherished land, his beloved home, and potentially shatter the remnants of her family - the very things that her father held dear.
Moreover, what if an internal transformation stirs within her? What if an inferno awakens in her core, a searing force that threatens to consume her? Will she embrace the scorching power, or quench it in her pursuit of survival?
********
Many proclaim that the call of duty is the most sacred of all summons. Should Emperor William request her service to fight for her country, echoing the path her father once tread, will Amelia heed the call to arms?
Yet, a more profound question hangs in the air. Will Amelia and William respond to a call that promises to demolish the walls between them? In the unforgiving game of duty and love, a brutal choice must be made - to embrace one is to forsake the other. For in this harsh world, they cannot coexist; one must inevitably perish.
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]