A dark and imaginative coming of age adventure filled with demons and religious conspiracy, A Day of Breath is a perfect read for fans of Naomi Novik and N.K. Jemisin.An isolated warrior and heir to the throne struggle to face their fear of weakness as parasitic demons spread throughout their kingdom.Three hundred years ago, a cult attempted to summon the demon god, Istral, by opening a rift into the demon realm. Though the cult was defeated and the rift closed by sibyls – those blessed with divine magic – some cult members escaped and vanished.For seventy years, a series of champions have been granted physical strength to fight the demons at the Edge, returning home only on the Day of Breath, the one day a year when the rift closes.Oly is the longest-living champion, now in her tenth year of guarding the kingdom of Niawa. Her powers are waning, but her sense of duty remains strong. Despite never returning home, she clings to her calling, stemming from her troubled childhood.Prince Fallon aspires to become the next sovereign of Niawa, despite his insecurities. Convinced by the kingdom's advisor of his worthiness, he learns that his sibling, Heir Abner, who distrusts the kingdom’s sibyl, has been chosen instead. Desperate to prove his bravery, Fallon travels to the Edge on a drunken whim to persuade Oly to return, hoping this act will alter his fate. Despite her fears, Oly agrees to return on the upcoming Day of Breath to ask for her power back.Back in the kingdom, a parasitic demon suddenly spreads, forcing Oly and Fallon to work together, face their weaknesses, and defeat the sibyl, who strives to usher in a horrific new world order amidst the outbreak.