C. C. Peñaranda

A SWORD... In the impoverished outer town of a kingdom where fae outrank humans, Faythe, an orphan with a talent for swordplay, knows the importance of keeping her head down around the fae patrol. She and best friend Jakon long for a better life, and her desire to swing her sword in combat may bring the purpose and coin she's yearned for. A DREAM... When she draws the attention of royal guard Nik, she soon learns that her mortal nature isn't the only reason to remain out of sight. Nik is a Nightwalker, a silent assassin of the mind with the power to enter others' dreams, and whether she trusts him or not, he's about to awaken abilities in Faythe that shouldn't exist in a human. Nightmarish abilities. Deadly abilities. Abilities that will teach Faythe blood really does run thicker than water...and if she doesn't trust in higher powers soon, blood will run indeed. AN HEIR... For this is no battle Faythe can fight with steel. Within the city walls, suspicions are arising, and here in the outer town she has deeper bonds to protect. It seems everyone will die with a dark secret to tell, but what if one unlikely human girl was born harboring the darkest secret of all...? In a clash of steel, a mortal body may fall. But in a clash of dreams, a powerful heir may rise. Fans of THRONE OF GLASS and RED QUEEN will enjoy this first instalment in a gripping new fantasy series that portrays the unbreakable strength of friendship, the struggle for honor, and the ache of sacrifice. ﻿ *Exclusive bonus chapter in hardback edition.

An Heir Comes to Rise

Amelia Edmondson

Kaitlyn Grace

Bia || Alpi 

In fact, it was the one place humans and fae found themselves equal in their vulnerability. To fall asleep was to risk their minds falling to the mercy of the invading Nightwalkers; to be unaware of their chilling presence.

Such creatures, or anyone blessed with magick abilities, were born of the immortally supreme fae. A dark, invisible force among their ranks, the Nightwalkers possessed the telepathic ability to enter a person's unconscious mind and access their thoughts and memories, allowing them the deadly capacity to kill from within. 

Faythe fought the urge to retreat as he glided toward her. She wanted to avert her eyes; to look at the ground and not pay any attention as he stormed forward. There was no other route to or from the mill without them crossing paths. Yet her eyes were fixed, compelled to track him. Her heart became the only sound, pounding loud in her ears in anticipation of the foreboding danger. She'd grown up with an instilled fear of the fae. Everyone had.

He advanced closer, and Faythe tried to catch a glimpse of his face in her curiosity to learn more about the strange male who held a poise different to any of the patrol she'd seen. He didn't march and stand intimidating like the others; he was elegant in his movements and inconspicuous in his demeanor. It was clear he didn’t want to be noticed.

It took all her strength to close her eyes and block out the cries of desperation. Jakon was right: interfering would only instantly condemn them too. 

As she turned her head to walk away, she almost collapsed with the weight of the fear that drowned her. It shocked her as much as it crippled her because she knew the fear wasn't for herself. She always did have a horrible sense of other people's emotions, and it was a curse she'd learned to live with. 

In less than ten minutes, Jakon was already lightly snoring in his cot beside her, but Faythe couldn't get her mind to settle. When she closed her eyes, a pair of bright green irises flashed, and she wondered why she couldn't get them out of her head.

She scrunched her eyes shut, willing herself to think of something — 

 — else to help her drift off. But if it wasn't the strange sighting of the fae male earlier that day rattling her thoughts, painful images of Reuben — cramped in a dingy wooden cell in the middle of the ocean, losing his wits in fear — crowded her head. The thought made her sick.

Faythe always had vivid dreams and usually awoke feeling more exhausted than when she went to bed. Tonight would be no different with the lattice of thoughts and emotions that wouldn't settle, not even when she felt the slow waves of sleep lap over her and pull her under all at once.

Wait, is it possible that she’s a nightwalker??? We don’t know who dad is so…..

Her panic spiked, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She had been able to wake herself from nightmares before, so she calmed herself and focused. Yet no matter how hard she strained her mind, it was as if something anchored her here.

"How brave you are to find yourself inside 

 mind." the threatening snarl came from behind.

"Lumarias," she mumbled, her eyelids suddenly feeling as if they weighed a ton. She heard the shift of Jakon's pillow as he turned his head to her. "My sword — I’Il call it Lumarias."

She sprinted the rest of the way, taking the darkest streets and running all the way up the hills until the woods came into view. She spotted Nik immediately. He leaned idly against one of the trees. Relief calmed her storm of nerves. She didn't even realize she was shaking until she slowed her pace upon approach.

"You're late," he said, and then he took in the sight. "What in the damned Spirits happened?" Nik stormed up to her, scanning her body for signs of physical injury. "Who hurt you?" he snarled, catching her jaw, which still ached.

Faythe cleared her throat and found something to fidget with. "Just curious. I wonder what other fae abilities there are," she said, hopeful it came off as a bored question.

When Marlowe showed no sign of suspicion, Faythe internally sighed with relief. "There are quite a few: elemental, shades, shapeshifting.." She went on to list a few more before adding, "But gifted fae are fairly rare. Most of them are just as normal as you and me, save for the immortal strength, speed, and grace." She huffed.

Faythe forced a breathy laugh. She wasn't normal. Would her friend be disgusted if she found out what invasive ability she possessed? The thought of any of her friends looking at her with hatred or disappointment made her stomach sink.

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