No news has reached the kingdom of Brixellum from Lord Celso’s mountain stronghold in many years. Orane’s royal parents order her to act as their agent, under the guise of a mission of mercy. She is instructed to manipulate the aging and childless lord in order to secure their inheritance of his land. Though she despises their avarice, Orane fears to disobey. With only a small contingent of guards and her new lady in waiting, hand picked by her mother, Orane is sent into the mountain wild.
Before Orane and her retinue even arrive at the castle, they discover that all is not well in her kinsman’s lofty home. They are attacked on the road by unnatural creatures, and when they reach sanctuary, they find the lonely inhabitants of Castle Destare beset by a strange malady. Stranded in ever increasing peril, misanthropic Orane finds herself forced to find strength in others, or perish alone. She and her companions must come to grips with the past, or be consumed by an ancient curse.
Jasmine Collins 