by R. M. Gray
First published 2025
Aster Oberon has seventeen years behind her and precious little time ahead. The pirate captain feels the curse spreading through her blood, counting down to the moment she becomes an infernal slave to Queen Morana. Will Castor, the Nightbringer who holds her heart, faces the same dark transformation. Aster's powers have awakened, but controlling them while hunting for a cure proves nearly impossible. She allies with Will and Prince Titus Anteres, though the prince schemes to destroy his own royal bloodline. Their search takes them aboard the starship Starchaser, bound for the foreboding Grima Castle. Inside those ancient walls, elegant soirées hide assassins and formal dinners serve poison alongside the wine. Aster grips her daggers tighter as she discovers her feelings shifting between Will's familiar love and Titus's unexpected pull. Every companion might betray her. Every smile might mask a threat. The clock keeps ticking toward her damnation.
Genres: science-fiction, romance, adventure, fantasy, action, young-adult
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, slow-burn
Setting: Grima Castle, Starchaser
Period: 17th Century
448 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers