The crown of shadows and Lies
In the cursed realm of Noctyrrh, night has ruled for centuries—an eternal darkness bound by a blood-forged curse that absorbs grief, memory, and truth to keep the realm alive. Lumi Reyes, twenty-two, is a rare Truth Bearer, gifted—and burdened—with the ability to hear the truths the night consumes. Her role is to interpret these truths for those in power, at the cost of her own certainty and identity.
Blake Crowe, twenty-four, is the Dreadsword Prince: heir to a throne built on shadow, trained to rule a realm that cannot change. To stabilize political unrest and deter foreign powers, Lumi and Blake enter a strategic arrangement—publicly presenting as lovers to project unity and control.
As they navigate court politics, rival factions, and the looming influence of the Concord (a coalition eager to exploit Noctyrrh’s curse), Lumi uncovers a devastating truth: the curse sustaining the realm is not eternal—it is transferable, and Blake is expected to inherit it. When betrayal within the council accelerates this plan, Lumi and Blake must choose between survival through sacrifice or dismantling the very power that defines their world.
Their false relationship deepens into genuine love, complicating every decision. Lumi learns that the curse was never meant to be ruled—only endured until the people were strong enough to live without it. To break it, she must relinquish her identity as Truth Bearer, surrendering immortality, certainty, and power in exchange for a human life.
Lumi chooses freedom.
The curse unbinds. Noctyrrh survives—but altered, mortal, and finally capable of change. Blake refuses the crown, helping establish a flawed but accountable governance. Together, they learn to love without prophecy, power, or permanence.
Years later, the night remains—not as a prison, but as a companion. Lumi’s stories preserve what truth no longer must. The novel closes on a quiet affirmation: endings are not failures, and love does not require destiny to endure.