Shadow and Sword

A living saint. A locked-door conclave. And a rebel church ready to kill, not crown.

Cerie Korviridi tore down a mountain range to win an endless war and clear the path for her relationship with Haniya Aina, the disgraced princess of enemy Sina. But Cerie may have torn the fabric of her country, too.

The High Poet Society's magical verse has defended Breme for centuries, but only five members of the community have ever been crowned saints for their remarkable feats. Now the order's leaders have locked themselves in a conclave to decide whether Cerie will be the sixth, and someone has already tried to kill her before the meeting even began.

Mordrek Willets, former Sinan spy, has never been able to leave anything alone. He reluctantly teams up with Cerie's prickly brother, Uileac Korviridi, to investigate the Shadow Church, a rebel movement within the High Poet Society that is intent on taking Cerie's life.

But Mordrek's protection isn't kindness. It's guilt for another High Poet he couldn't save. Now his dead lover's teacher is in the conclave, and he's certain she wants revenge. If his past has really come back to haunt him, then Cerie will pay the price for his sins.

With dozens of original poems and lush prose, this LGBTQ literary fantasy features found family, sapphic romance, and political intrigue.