Age range 14 to 18

Beauty and the Beast meets Wicked Saints in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of Mask of Shadows duology and Belle Revolte.

Undertaker Lorena knows what her future holds-she’ll finish her apprenticeship, marry her best friend Julian, and live in a land ruled by a bloodthirsty family convinced they alone can keep ancient demons from descending on the kingdom. But when Julian receives news that his father has been convicted of crimes against the crown, the two head to the capital to help.

When Lorena is kidnapped by Crown Prince Alistair, she learns he’s not the violent inheritor rumours have painted him to be. He explains that the sacrifices are a necessary evil - the demons are very real and require more and more blood to keep them at bay.

As a rebellion grows more certain, Lorena becomes less sure of her loyalties. Should she trust the boy she thought she loved and the world she thought she knew? Or should her loyalties lie with the centuries-old legends of the boy she barely knows who has everything to lose?

‘Excellent asexual representation in Lorena, rich worldbuilding, political intrigue, and a cast of prickly, passionate characters round out the satisfyingly complex plot. Particularly masterful are the shifts in Lorena’s narrative perspective that reflect the sacrifices of significant memories…Mind-bending and incisive.’ - Kirkus Reviews