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Chapters (53)
  1. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area- Western Half
  2. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area - Eastern Half
  3. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area - Full Map
  4. Important Trigger Warning
  5. Prologue
  6. PART I
  7. One
  8. Two
  9. Three
  10. Four
  11. Five
  12. Six
  13. Seven
  14. Eight
  15. Nine
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Twelve
  19. Interlude: The River of Life
  20. PART II
  21. Thirteen
  22. Fourteen
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Seventeen
  26. Eighteen
  27. Nineteen
  28. Interlude: Fallow Fields
  29. PART III
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Interlude: Of Man and Monster
  37. PART IV
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Twenty-Eight
  41. Twenty-Nine
  42. Thirty
  43. Thirty-One
  44. Thirty-Two
  45. Thirty-Three
  46. Thirty-Four
  47. POSTLUDES
  48. Postlude 1: Lana Vica
  49. Postlude 2: Ludo Vica
  50. Postlude 3: Cainan
  51. Acknowledgments
  52. An excerpt from Heartsworn, Volume II in The Forsworn Oath, available for preorder now!
  53. PART I

Soraya ran. Not away from the destruction, but directly toward it.

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Shim

Shim’s heated argument with Sunny had been cut short by the distant sound of glass breaking. They’d both run to the window, peering between the wooden slats, and it hadn’t taken him long to spot Soraya, followed shortly by the heinous creature stalking her scent through the square. He’d cursed her for her recklessness, even as he’d admired her courage. She was as much a Guardian as anyone he’d ever met.

Narcissi’s admonition—Protect her!—had repeated itself again and again in his mind like an echo. So just when it had appeared that the nightdemon would find Soraya hidden away within layers of shadow, he’d shouted.

Sunny had grabbed him and then clamped a hand over his mouth, but the damage was already done. The creature charged toward them, golden leaves glittering as they caught the edge of the moonslight. “Fool!” the strong woman spat. “What have you done?” They backtracked together, putting as much distance between them and the wall, but then the wall caved in, a shower of stone, wood and glass shrapnel that pricked at his skin. To think that anyone had believed that a few wooden boards and nails could keep such a monster at bay was almost comedic.

That was the least of his worries. “Get back!” he warned Sunny, his arm glowing gold as he shoved her behind him like she was a paper doll and not a powerful figure in her own right. But there was power and then there was power, and right now he was radiating the latter.

He hoped it would be enough to defeat the monster standing before him, its snout bleeding from where it had been damaged when it had crashed through the wall. A low snarl sounded from the back of its throat. Its tail snapped back and forth behind it, furious and impatient. The darkly golden gleam in the nightdemon’s eyes reminded Shim of the bear monster they’d faced in Lostwood.

“Let go of me!” Sunny shrieked, trying to muscle past him, but his grip on her was iron as he held her at bay. “You don’t understand! Only I can—”

Whatever she was about to say was lost to the angry roar as the nightdemon sprang from its haunches, mouth open to receive its reward. Shim could’ve dodged, but then Sunny would’ve been killed, so instead he released his hold on her at the same time as he leapt forward to meet his foe.