A Flame in the Shadow

For a thousand years, the city of Crescent Falls has survived beneath the shadow of an ancient savior. Each century, a man is chosen as an offering to Sariyah-the being said to have once driven demons from the world. When Bastion, the man Ember loves, is taken after daring to refuse her, Ember's grief turns into defiance, and she vows to bring him home no matter the cost. Her search forces her into an uneasy alliance with Orion St. James, a dangerously charming immortal with a violent past and secrets tied to Sariyah herself. Bound together by a magic neither of them wants nor understands, Ember and Orion are drawn into a hidden war beneath the city-one involving cultists, monsters, and an ancient order known as the Watchers. As Crescent Falls begins to fracture, Ember experiences unsettling visions that hint her bloodline is far more entangled with Sariyah than anyone ever suspected. Strange new powers awaken within her, blurring the line between protector and destroyer, while enemies gather and old loyalties are tested. With the city on the brink of collapse and unseen forces moving in the shadows, Ember must decide how far she is willing to go to save Bastion-and whether becoming something darker is the only way to stop an evil that has ruled unchallenged for centuries. Because some thrones are not inherited. They are taken.

Chapters

Chapter 2

"Ember, wait up." Bastion yelled from across the street as I exited the corner store. I turned to see him waiving me down. My heart fluttered at his smile. Bastion was the neighborhood hero ever since he returned from training in the military. The perfect example of the boy next door, tall, strong, light brown hair with blue eyes, and a jawline that made every girl blush when he looked at them.

I stopped, waiting for him to catch up. He walked up throwing his arm around my shoulders casually. Bastion had been my best friend for as long as I could remember but since he returned things seemed to have taken a turn.

"Are you going to the festival with anyone?" He asked.

The Festival of the Offering was a tradition going back a thousand years. One we celebrate every hundred years on the same night of the Blood Moon. This year the festival just happens to land on my birthday. Not that anyone would care, the festival was the biggest event anyone in the town of Celestial Falls would ever experience. A forgettable girl's twenty-first birthday would never come close.

"Who says I am going?" I asked him.

"You have to go, Em. It only happens every hundred years. We are so lucky to get to experience it. They are already setting up in the town. There are tents and booths setup. The food is going to be so good. Plus," He smirked. "it would be a perfect way to celebrate your birthday! You didn't think I forgot, did you?"

To be honest, I did think he forgot. I smiled my cheeks heating up. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday. The festival was going to be extravagant. There would be no expense spared and I had always wanted to get a look at her.

Sariyah. The name was like a whisper one the wind in our town. One spoken for centuries. She had become a legend at this point, one that seemed too fantastical to be true. She only ever leaves the castle and her Obsidian Throne for the offering. I couldn't explain why but I needed to see her for myself.

"Ok. I guess I could make an appearance, for you." I smiled at him as he grabbed the bags from my hands and began walking me home.

The Festival began just before sundown. Bastion met me outside my house so that we could walk together.

"Happy Birthday." He said as he handed me a bunch of wild flowers in all colors. He took a purple one out, my favorite color, and slipped it behind my ear. "There, you need a little color in your life, all you wear is black."

We walked down the cobblestone pathways to the festival lands. The music was blaring and the dancers and fire-eaters were mezmerizing. There was a massive bonfire right in the middle. We walked down the paths of vendors, the scent of all the greatest foods wafting past us making me delirious with hunger. Bastion grabbed my hand pulling my attention away from the food.

"I want to tell you something, I have been wanting to say it for a while now Em." His bright blue eyes piercing my soul. He opened his mouth to continue when the slecting bell rang. One note, long, low and cold enough to cut bone. The crowd of people rushed to the stage where the High Priest of the Veyl stood in his long crimson robes of velvet.

"It's happening." Bastion said beside me, his jaw locked. He hadn't let go of my hand. I could feel the tension vibrating beneath his skin, like his body was already preparing to fight something we couldn't see yet.

The townspeople gathered near the stage, faces pale, under the Blood Moon. Mothers gripped their sons. Girls whispered prayers not to be chosen to weep this year. I didnt pray. Not because I didn't believe, but because if the gods had been watching Celestial Falls, they were cruel.

The Priest spoke and his voice echoed across the crowd. "Celestial Falls," He addressed the crowd. "this year we are proud to offer the pride of our town as consort for the goddess. Bastion Thorne, in three days time Sariyah will come to claim you as her payment. We have faith you will make us all proud!"

The world started to spin and everything went dark.

I awoke to a local healer splashing water on my face. There were people everywhere. Some were looking at me many were crowding around Bastion offering congratulations, or condolences, depending on how they saw the offering. Bastion, however only focused on me. As I came to the people began to clear away until it was just Bastion and I again.

"Tell me I was dreaming. Tell me they didn't say your name." I begged. He just frowned and at me as if he felt bad for me. How could he feel sorry for me when his name had just been called as the offering.

"You don't have to go," I said desperately. "you could run. We could run. I would help hide you. We could go somewhere no one could ever find us."

He tilted his head and frowned, his blue eyes darkening. "Em, you know there is nowhere we could go that they wouldn't find us." He leaned over and pressed a kiss to my forehead before turning to leave, shoulders slumped, looking more defeated than I had ever seen him.

Continue to next part

Blurb She believed the lies. Her mother made sure of it. One moment, I was her husband. The next, I was a monster in her eyes - a poor man accused of hurting the woman I loved. They threw pictures in my face, forged proof, and handed me divorce papers. And she, Sally, stood there in silence. Not a word. Not a tear. That was the day I died - and a king was born. Years later, I returned richer, colder, and untouchable. The world now bows to my name. But my revenge is just beginning... until Yvonne Wells, a scandal-tarnished model, storms into my life. She was supposed to be my contract girlfriend - a shield against the chaos. I never meant to drag her into my storm, but she became the only light that could calm it. Now, the same family that destroyed me is crawling back, desperate to rewrite the past. But I'm not that broken man anymore. I'm the king they abandoned - and this time, I give no mercy.

Action Modern Romance

9.4

Defrosting Her Cold Heart

9.4

Raised by wolves, trained by bandits, forged in violence, she was a cold-hearted warrior, but forced to conceal her true gender to survive in the city of Los Angeles. Confined in an orphanage, she became entangled with Lucas Blackwood. Casey Angeles eventually found herself selected to be trained at the world's largest military training base (M base), an opportunity that seemed unimaginable given the base's policy of only accepting males. Lucas Blackwood, the director of the M base and the mysterious eldest son of the Blackwood family, is a legendary figure in both the business and underground worlds. But despite being a paragon, he has a secret illness that hinders him from getting close to a woman, so he has the greatest shock of his life when he encounters and discovers Casey's gender, yet His illness doesn't break out. What will happen when they both get entangled with each other and Lucas finds himself getting attracted to the disguised Casey? Will Casey's secret be discovered? Will her Cold heart eventually be thawed? Will Lucas forgive her deceit after finding out the secret? How did she not trigger Lucas's illness despite being a female?

Action Modern Mystery

9.1

Eighteen Broken Promises, One Way Out

9.1

He postponed putting my name on the deed 18 times. Each time, his mentee Ciera had an “emergency.” Each time, he ran to her. I watched him give her his prized Montblanc pen—the one he wouldn’t even let me borrow. I saw her post their late nights on Instagram. I ate anniversary dinners alone while he “mentored” her. Then he bought me a necklace—identical to the one she just flaunted online. That was when I stopped feeling anything. I didn’t cry. I didn’t fight. I simply packed two suitcases, resigned from our firm, and booked a one-way ticket to London. He thinks I’m coming back in a week. He has no idea I’m gone for good. Nineteen broken promises. One silent goodbye. And a new life waiting across the ocean.

Action Modern

9.7

Falling For The Mafia Boss

9.7

Raven's entire life has been defined by loss and betrayal. At just 13, she watched as the Cartel brutally murdered her father-an act that not only tore her family apart but also set her on a path to destroy the empire responsible. Now, at 22, she's back in Spain, leading a ragtag team of rebels with the singular goal of dismantling the Gonzalez Cartel from within. But as Raven infiltrates the Cartel's operations and gets closer to Mario-Tito's ruthless son-the lines between enemy and lover begin to blur. But love is a luxury Raven cannot afford. Lucas, her devoted team member and secret lover, has always been by her side, waiting for the day they can escape the Cartel's grasp and finally be free. Torn between loyalty, love, and vengeance, Raven faces the ultimate dilemma: Will she sacrifice everything she's fought for to build a future with Mario, or will her thirst for revenge consume her entirely, leaving no room for love? As the stakes rise and the Cartel's reach tightens, Raven must choose whether to live for revenge or risk everything for the love she never thought possible.

Action Mafia Romance

7.9

First Lady Out, Your Majesty In

7.9

For three years, Allison played the perfect First Lady in a marriage that never gave her love back. Nolan handed her divorce papers, sneering at her background while his mother mocked her as barren and his pregnant mistress claimed her place. So Allison walked away. On the very day she left him, the royal family reclaimed her as their lost princess. Crown, fortune, power, three terrifying brothers, and a handpicked royal consort now stood at her side. Her eldest brother-the world's most feared arms dealer-pushed a black card across the table. "Go on. Spend whatever you like." Her second brother-the genius doctor-twirled a scalpel between his fingers. "Tell me, sis. How many cuts do the ones who hurt you deserve?" Her third brother-a global martial arts superstar-stormed into her ex-husband's lair. "Who made my sister cry? Time to face the music." When her regretful ex begged for another chance, Allison only smiled. It was too late. She was no longer his wife. She was his worst mistake.

Action Modern Romance

8.9

Shattered Bond: The Genius Omega's Revenge

8.9

I was the lead architect for the Pack's billion-dollar tech company, and I was secretly carrying the Alpha's heir. I thought the merger would finally make Caleb Mark me. Instead, I walked into my office to find a mistress sitting in my chair. Caleb didn't just fire me. When I refused to hand over the encryption keys to the system I built, he locked me in a reinforced closet lined with silver mesh. For a pregnant wolf, silver is poison. I pounded on the door until my knuckles bled. "Caleb! Please! It burns! I'm losing the baby!" I screamed until my voice broke, feeling the life drain from my womb. But outside the door, his mistress laughed. "Don't listen to her, Caleb. She's just a weak Omega faking it for attention." And my Fated Mate believed her. He left me in that dark box while our son died in a pool of my own blood. He thought he had broken me. He thought I would die a silent death so he could parade his fake heir around. He forgot one thing: I wrote the code that runs his entire life. Three days later, I didn't show up to the hospital morgue. I rolled my wheelchair onto the stage of his global press conference, flanked by the rival Alpha he feared most. I held up the remote to the main server. "You killed my son for a lie, Caleb," I smiled into the microphone as the screens behind him broadcast the footage of his crime. "Now, say goodbye to your empire."

Action Modern Werewolf

A Flame in the Shadow

Chapter 2

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