Dawn Chen

The war between Aixauh and Inabri ended. The heroes have won, what now? A decade after the war that resulted in the death of someone important to them both, the Aixauhan Alchemist Cai-Li Ying seeks out to rekindle their relationship with her estranged lover, the Inabrian Oracle, Anne Barberry. However, a lot has changed in the past decade. Anne barricades herself in the Castle on a hill where her family‘s dark secrets lie. Chely has gained the reputation of being the Blood Hawk, who dabbles in dark magic, much to Anne’s disgust. Rumors has it that Anne herself is responsible for the disappearance of visitors who went to the Castle. Other things are happening as the two witches reunite. Old ghosts come back to haunt them. People they know from the war come and go. Scars left by the war does not easily fade. Are they truly each other‘s salvation, or are they doomed to repeat the past that tore them apart? This is a story about grief, loss, generational trauma and cycle of war. Sometimes, true love is not the answer. A sapphic high fantasy for those who enjoy the Poppy War by RF Kuang and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.