Of Blood and Burdens

It has been four years since the bridge exploded, leaving Rick Grimes missing and presumed dead. Now 25, Alyssa Grimes has stepped into her father's legacy, leading Alexandria while raising her spirited 4-year-old daughter, Nova Rae Dixon. Nova, though the image of her father, Daryl Dixon, has inherited Alyssa's fiery determination and sharp wit, making her a force to be reckoned with-even at her young age.

Alyssa has worked tirelessly to build a life for her family alongside Michonne, raising Nova with her siblings Judith and RJ. But Daryl doesn't know Nova exists, and his absence has left a lingering shadow over her life.

Meanwhile, Negan remains imprisoned in Alexandria's basement. His obsession with Alyssa-the woman who nearly ended his life-has only deepened over the years. Despite Alyssa's warnings to keep well away from him, her sister Judith, now six, and Nova begin speaking to Negan through the barred basement window. To Alyssa's horror, a connection begins to form between the dangerous man and the two little girls, something she can neither control nor understand.

When Daryl finally returns, his search for Rick yielding no answers, he is faced with the life he unknowingly left behind. Confronted with a daughter he didn't know existed and a woman who has had to survive without him, Daryl must navigate the shattered pieces of his family.

But just as they begin to heal, new enemies threaten to destroy everything. As Alexandria braces for what's to come, Negan unexpectedly rises as a protector, swearing to keep Nova and Judith safe at all costs.

In a world where love and loyalty are constantly tested, Alyssa Grimes must decide how far she's willing to go to protect her family-and whether she can trust the man she once hated to be their saviour

The sequel to Bloodlines, Of Blood and Burdens is a story of resilience, redemption, and the unbreakable bonds of family in a world where nothing is guaranteed.