by Cora Carmack
First published 2026
Aurora Pavan sits on the throne she once dreaded, now queen of a kingdom that desperately needs her leadership. She had dreamed of creating a sanctuary where remnants, stormhunters, and witches could live without fear, where people mattered more than tax revenue. That vision drove her through the wildlands and into rebellion. But her confrontation with the Stormlord changed everything. He wielded the same magic she possessed, yet used it to destroy rather than protect. The girl who returned from that encounter bore little resemblance to the brave rebel who had left. Where once she embraced her destiny to rule and transform her world, now she struggles with something far more dangerous. A new darkness has taken root inside her, threatening to consume the very qualities that made her want to lead. Aurora must find a way to govern effectively while fighting this internal battle, knowing that her people's safety depends on her ability to remain the protector they need rather than becoming the destroyer she fears.
Genres: fantasy, young-adult, young-adult-fantasy, fantasy-romance
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family, internal-struggle
Setting: Kingdom
Period: Contemporary
352 pages · Kindle Edition · Tor Teen
Content warnings: violence