Dream by the Shadows
2023
"To dream is to die in the kingdom of Noctis. Esmer Havenfall lives with the consequences of this cruel truth: her sister is dead, her future is without prospects, and her village is cursed by demons that haunt their sleep. But when a horrible discovery forces Esmer to risk what little she has left, drawing the ire of Noctis's demon-hunting knights, she is sentenced to rot in the tomb of the Devourer--where the wicked Shadow Bringer lives. To survive, Esmer must overcome the darkness, even if it means partnering with the monster himself. The Shadow Bringer's realm is merciless and inescapable: his magnificent castle is crumbling, demons stalk its maze-like halls, and time loops in a tortuous circle. But partnering with the Bringer gives Esmer the purpose and power she craves, and as her feelings for him grow, drawing her closer to the deadly truth behind Noctis's curse, she realizes that true darkness is more familiar--and more nefarious--than she ever dreamed. Torn between the desire to earn their freedom and a fate much bigger than themselves, Esmer and the Shadow Bringer must reckon with the dark or be destroyed by it altogether"--Back cover.