First published 2025
Mara had sworn never to return to Ilya. As Death incarnate, she has little reason to revisit the kingdom she left behind. But King Kitt Azer makes a decision that changes everything, one so significant it captures her attention completely. If Kitt is destined to join her in the Mors, Death needs to understand what drives him. Mara enters the castle to observe Kitt closely. She watches the king navigate his duties while studying the people around him. The time she spends in this world of the living awakens something unexpected in her. She begins to remember that existence holds more than endings. It holds connection, affection, the bonds between people. Yet good intentions breed their own dangers. The castle harbors those who seek vengeance and crave power. Each inhabitant faces choices that will determine their path forward. Mara discovers that fate moves according to its own design, weaving together the threads of mortality and rule, connection and loss.
Genres: romance, fantasy, paranormal, dark-fantasy
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Ilya, the Castle
211 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: death, mental-illness