Kali Rae

NOTE FROM AUTHOR: Hey everyone! Just a quick note on how chapter releases work. I'll be posting new free chapters every Monday through Wednesday for all to enjoy. If you're eager to read ahead, you can purchase early access to future chapters. It's a great way to support the novel, and don't worry—every chapter will eventually become free over time. Your support makes this story possible. I hope you enjoy the journey! Princess Thalia's life is a gilded cage, a relentless performance of courtly grace masking a chilling secret: she's a half-elf. For years, she's endured her father, King Zylair's, cold indifference and the predatory disdain of his advisor, Blair. But when a cataclysmic attack on her city tears through her reality, Thalia finds herself resurrected a year in the past, burdened with the terrifying knowledge of a future consumed by darkness. Accused of a crime she didn't commit, Thalia is thrown into the palace dungeons. There, she discovers Cassius, a centuries-old elf imprisoned and cursed, whose piercing blue eyes see not a useless princess, but a soul aflame with untapped power. With Cassius as her guide, Thalia begins to awaken her latent magic, confronting the brutal reality of her father's monstrous ambitions and the deadly secrets hidden within the palace walls. But as Thalia and Cassius navigate a treacherous court riddled with spies and assassins, they uncover a conspiracy that reaches far beyond the throne room—a plot to unleash an ancient evil that could shatter all realms. With time running out, Thalia must master her newfound abilities, navigate complex alliances, and confront the truth of her own lineage, all while staying one step ahead of those who would see her, and the world, destroyed. Can an exiled princess and a cursed elf defy a predetermined fate, or will their desperate fight against the encroaching darkness be in vain?

For Lyra, the alchemist, a life spent on the run had finally found a fragile pause in the quiet town of Riverwood. Each day offered a hard-won peace she’d almost dared to embrace. But one ink-black night, while toiling in her workshop, that delicate tranquility shattered. Whispers slithered through Riverwood, tales of Shadowveil’s dark influence seeping into places it shouldn't. Reluctantly, Lyra felt the familiar pull of a life she’d desperately tried to outrun, the world of secrets and danger beckoning once more. Driven by a desperate need for answers, she sought the veiled knowledge of the information guild, only to find her path unexpectedly entwined with Noctis, the town’s stoic duke and commander. His demeanor radiated a quiet strength, hinting at both resilience and an unspoken burden. His commands were imbued with a deep-seated protectiveness that subtly enveloped those now under his charge. Alongside Noctis, Lyra journeyed with a disparate group: Finnian, the gentle scholar, whose mind held a treasure trove of forgotten lore, yet whose vast knowledge was shadowed by a personal history etched in quiet melancholy; Liora, the agile healer, whose touch mended grievous wounds but whose compassionate gaze concealed hidden depths and fierce loyalties; and Adrix, the enigmatic magic user, whose potent charm often masked intentions as intricate as the spells he wove. Their objective remained shrouded in secrecy, the air thick with unspoken threats, the recent devastation of Glens Crossing a stark and terrifying testament to the Shadowveil’s destructive power and the perilous stakes of their unknown quest. Amidst the mounting tension of their shared journey and the constant threat of discovery, an unexpected connection ignited between Lyra and a companion. This potential romance was a perilous gamble, a flickering flame that could either illuminate their path against the encroaching shadows or become a blinding distraction.