From Blood and Ash

In a world fraught with danger and ancient secrets, Poppy has been Chosen as the Maiden, destined to usher in a new era. Her life, however, is anything but her own: isolated, untouched, and under constant surveillance, awaiting her fated Ascension. Yet, Poppy longs for freedom, for battle, and for a life beyond her gilded cage. She harbors a fiery spirit, keen to fight the very evil that claimed her family, rather than passively prepare for a divine ritual. Her carefully controlled existence is upended with the arrival of Hawke, a charismatic and enigmatic guard tasked with ensuring her safety until Ascension. His presence ignites a forbidden desire within Poppy, challenging her beliefs and the strictures of her role. As a forgotten, fearsome kingdom rises from the shadows, intent on reclaiming its dominance through violence, Poppy finds herself caught between duty and a burgeoning, dangerous love. With her heart, her destiny, and potentially her life on the line, the lines between right and wrong blur, threatening to unravel the very fabric of her world.