Betrayed and left for dead, Elara Valyria, the "Shadow Valkyrie," is reborn as Lira Voss in a shattered world teeming with ancient gods, warring realms, and dark prophecies. Armed with new powers and haunted by memories of her past life, Lira must unravel the mysteries of her rebirth while facing relentless foes and corrupt forces. As the prophecy of the "Shadow Empress" looms, Lira's quest becomes a battle for her soul-torn between light and darkness. With each enemy vanquished, she absorbs their strength, but risks losing her humanity. As allies fall and enemies rise, Lira faces the ultimate choice: to embrace her dark destiny or defy fate and reshape her world. *Echo of the Forgotten Realms: The Shadow of Valyria* is a gripping dark fantasy about redemption, identity, and the fine line between good and evil.
Just as planned!
The dim candlelights flickered vigorously as the winds howled it's way past the tall woods and into the cottage, rattling the wooden shutters as it soared in.
Inside, the air was warm and the scent of burning wood mixed with herbs mingled with the smoke which floated across the room.
The only thing that could be heard was the rhythmic sound of the whetstone as Elara rubbed her blade along it, causing the edges to glow with a dimly red colour. Sharpening her sword was her own way of passing the time.
The sword was a well fabricated Claymore up to fifty-three inches from the handle. Though quite long, it was lightweight, and could slice the atoms in the air into two perfect molecules.
Suddenly, she paused. Her cold dark eyes, which had witnessed many great men die by her sword, focused on the window shutters.
To an inexperienced person, it would seem like a gentle breeze blowing in, but to a highly skilled warrior, Elara knew that someone was approaching.
A young soldier clothed in armour which was stained in blood of past battles, stumbled closer to the cottage.
He paused when he reached the entrance to the house. His Adam's apple forced down saliva as he swallowed hard in fear. He knew exactly whose porch he stood on. He had seen many towns, cities, and even kings die by the hands of the Valyrian-fear would grip anyone who dared to trespass on her property.
He knocked on the wooden door a couple of times, but there was no answer from within.
He could smell the smoke coming from the fireplace inside the house, which meant that someone was home.
Without thinking twice, he pressed on the doorknob which let out a low creaking sound as the door opened.
"Hello!" he called out, but there was no one inside. His fears reduced as he walked into the home of a killer.
A bed, a table with a book and a feather with its end stained with ink on top, a fireplace, and a chair just beside the table, was all the Valyrian needed to make a home.
He went over to the book which laid open on the table. There were things written in Latin-things he couldn't understand.
As the soldier lifted up his head, his eyes met the sharp edge of Elara's sword as it pointed millimetres away from his eyeballs.
"I...I'm so sorry. I knocked several times, but there was no response, so I decided to come in.", The soldier stammered with his hands in the air.
Elara looked deeply into his traumatised eyes and realised that he wasn't a threat. From his clad armour, it was obvious that he was a soldier from the king's court.
"You're a messenger?", she asked with her usual French accent. All her life, Elara grew up in France, but during the first world War, she was shipped down to Greece to help fight the battles that brewed amongst the kings.
"Ye.. Yes! I am", The soldier stammered as his eyes looked over to his badge on his left shoulder which differentiated soldiers from messengers, courtyard guards, and archers.
His eyes went back to Elara's, but he quickly darted them away. He didn't have the courage to look her in the face, adding the sword which pointed into his soul.
"I was sent here by the king. He needs your alliance with him in the battle that's already happening right now. I was also instructed not to come back alive, except with you beside me", he said.
Elara gave no reply. She was a warrior with very few words. Even in the battlefield, when other soldiers groaned in battle, the only sound she made was the sound of her opponent's throat slicing open by her Claymore.
"Go!", she ordered.
The soldier gave her a surprised expression. " I am not to go back alive except if I have you in my possession", he explained again-this time with a hint of frustration in his voice.
Elara narrowed her eyes at him. She knew that he was definitely going to be killed by the king if she didn't go with him. Although she cared so little about him, her allegiance was to the king.
"Go. I'm right behind you", she said again.
The messenger needed no further explanation. He went out of the house and into the woods where he stashed his horse.
"Hiya! " he groaned in command as the horse charged away, heading straight to the battlefield.
The king and his men had already spotted him from afar as he approached them.
The messenger jumped off the horse and bowed to the king's feet in tremble. "Long live the king! I had seen the woman, but she refused to go with me", he said in fear.
The king drew his sword and was about to stab the messenger who bowed to his feet when he heard a voice from behind.
"Why would you be so quick to kill an innocent man who spoke the truth? ", Elara said from behind.
The king turned to her. She wore a sleek obsidian-black fabric dress which accentuated her athletic build yet allowing for complete freedom of movement. The bodice was adorned with subtle thorn patterns with silver chains draping across her shoulders.
Her long sleeves ended in a tight fit around her wrist which had small pockets to hide her needle-like daggers. Her chest region was made with leather armour which was carefully woven with threads in distinct patterns. It offered protection without hindering her movement.
The gown splitted from her waist region to offer her mobility. Made of very soft cotton material which covered the tight shorts underneath that offered pockets to her knives.
Her polished-black shoes were knee-high, fastened with silver buckles that held firm to her swift legs. Everything on her was black, except her white skin.
"Oh! You came? ", the king blurted in surprise as he sheathed his sword.
"What sort of warrior would I be if I disobeyed the king?, my friend! ", Elara said with a very faint side smile that could hardly be visible.
"Yeah! I need your help in this battle, Elara. Our enemies have surrounded our men and are gaining victory. I've sent my best troops into the battlefield, but we all know when it comes to wars, you're the best warrior on the planet.", he said.
Elara paused. She had decided to stop killing people when she discovered that it only caused more deaths. She knew the king wouldn't agree to this, so there was no need refusing his proposal-afterall, the war was already ongoing.
"Then what are we waiting for? As a king, you should be fighting for your people.", Elara said.
"So, that means you're with me? ", He asked with hope in his eyes.
Elara drew her sword, "I need a horse. "
***
Elara was deep into the battlefield. There were dead bodies everywhere, and more continued to fall as she proceeded.
In less than a minute, she had turned the favour for them. More and more men charged at her as she killed them one by one.
Something felt odd about the battle. None of the king's men were beside her anymore. The enemies charged at her in great numbers as Elara struggled to defend herself alone.
Lucky enough, she was able to gain some space. Elara ran towards the calvary, but they all stood there watching as she fought alone.
By now, her horse was already dead so she ran on foot towards one of the guards,
"What the hell is happening? Why aren't you fighting? ", Elara panted heavily.
Suddenly, the soldier drew his sword and attacked Elara. She blocked his attack with her sword in one swift move.
He charged at her, swinging his sword rapidly. He was a high-ranked soldier from his badge, but he still wasn't half a match for Elara on single combat.
She jumped in the air as she made a cartwheel. She landed on one foot and went lower. In less than a second, her blade slashed through the soldier's knees and he fell down legless.
She made a backflip and was on her feet again. As she pointed her sword at him, an arrow pierced through her waist.
Elara groaned in pain. She dragged the arrow out of her back. The archer aimed at her and released another arrow, but Elara was quick to dodge.
More soldiers charged at her, both the enemies and the allies. The battle was all about her. She had been played by the king who led her straight to the frontline.
Elara fought fiercely, but there were too many. One of the soldiers stabbed her arm with a spear. She fell to her knees but was not going to give up without a fight.
There was a distant rumble as horses approached where she was fighting.
Elara just slaughtered one guard when another arrow pierced through her chest, falling her to the ground.
"Elara my dear... ", The king said as his horse hovered around her, " Do not be surprised by what you see. I have a great reason for wiping you out of the picture so..."
He got down from his horse and drew his sword. He walked over to where Elara laid with a grin on his face.
" Elara Valyria! Look at you now! I knew that you'd just kill my men if I had sent them to you in batches so I had to play you out. All these men laying out here died just for the show. It's been a pleasure betraying you", he said. He raised his sword and stabbed her again. She groaned out in pain as blood oozed out of her mouth.
Elara looked at him with deadly eyes. She was overpowered, outnumbered, and her wounds were fatal. She struggled to get to her feet but was stabbed again by the king.
"Wh...why?", Elara mumbled.
"Well! It's for the better", he replied and stabbed her on the chest. Elara held the sword with both hands as blood oozed its way out of her black dress, her visions became blurry and she dropped to the ground.
"See ya in hell, Elara!"
How do you escape a past that refuses to die? And what if the very man who shattered your life holds the key to your future? On the day Anna Voss loses everything, she's taken by the ruthless Escobar twins. Forced into a nightmare marriage, her life spirals into betrayal and destruction when Carlo, one of the brothers, drugs her into his bed and leaves her abandoned and broken. Left for dead after a tragic accident, Anna is saved by a mysterious therapist who gives her a new face-and a second chance at life. Years later, Anna has rebuilt herself in the shadows, hiding her identity and raising her daughter in peace. But her past returns with a chilling force when she discovers her daughter's new teacher is none other than Carlo, the man responsible for her torment. He doesn't recognize her, but Anna knows the truth-and she's ready to make them all pay. But as dark secrets begin to unravel, Anna's quest for vengeance plunges her deeper into a deadly game where no one can be trusted. Will she be able to finish what she started, or will her hidden enemies destroy her before she can exact her revenge? In this world of betrayal, power, and deadly love, one wrong move could cost Anna everything she has left.
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."