Bound by Blood and Shadow (The Tree of Offerings Trilogy)

"This was it, the end of my story."

They were trapped with no way back. Stumbling into an unknown world is terrifying for any human, but for anxiety-riddled Lenora, it's worse. There's only one consolation: She arrived on horseback, with her beloved black gelding.

Starpathia holds a realm of enchanting creatures both wondrous and lethal. Protected under the watchful eyes of Elders, the people wield impossible gifts, unbelievable to an outsider. That is, until Lenora's own hidden powers surface, turning the eyes of The Fallen upon her.

Shadow magic hurls Lenora into an age-old conflict begun long before her arrival. Whispers of one who can enter your mind place her in far more danger than most, for the caged beings she brought from home still reside deep inside. Now they are getting louder, screaming to be heard.

Can Lenora master her new powers against such ancient darkness?

Or will she fall prey to the darkness inside, dooming this realm and all others?

Content Warning: on-page violence & torture, off-page implied sexual abuse.

Born in South Florida but growing up on the Florida/Georgia line, L.R Bryant was raised in the woods before she began writing. Red clay, tall pines, horses & bringing home every stray was the usual rhythm of life for this wild farm child. From a young age she dreamed of far-off places, multiple realms, incredible creatures & magic that could fiercely protect or destroy. As she grew so did her world, expanding well beyond what most people could see or feel.​Known for writing any paper the night before, over complicating book reports & sharing colorful versions of recent events, Bryant has always been a natural storyteller. After high school she took only one college course at a community college, a creative writing class where an eccentric red-haired professor took an interest. Yet, the real world would keep her from realizing the extent of such writing talents for another decade. ​Those years were filled with many lives lived & endless lessons to file away. Marriage, divorce, motherhood, dead end jobs, incredible opportunities, wealth & poverty would be just a few paths this life would bring. But through all the ups & downs, one thing never left...the ability to spin magical realms, alternate realities & wonder like no other from the back of her horse. ​Then one day, grief pushed this weaver of tales to write again. ​It was now time to pour those worlds out, the stories that needed to be told, characters voices who needed to be heard. With the best support & publishing team around, echoing the same encouraging words from a stranger so long ago, Bryant took a chance. One story would change her future, transforming into a debut novel. With it her title morphed from 'good with words' to 'published fantasy author' & she intends to stay that way for many years to come.