The Starlit Shadow: 1 (Starlight and Shadows)

"If being with her meant I would lose all reason, then I would fall into madness willingly."

Sorsha Sventura is a courtesan at the House of Night, where the rich come to play and indulge in forbidden magic. Desperate for her freedom, she strikes a dangerous bargain with her mistress: spy on Lord Corvus Stormfall, a member of the fae elite, and report on the movements of the other Houses.

Corvus, a second-born son, knows he will never live up to his father's expectations. When he arrives at the House of Night to collect fees for their use of magic, he meets an enchanting courtesan, Sorsha. His attraction must be the result of enchantment. How else can he explain his overwhelming desire to be with her?

As passion blooms between them, Sorsha and Corvus are pulled into a fae-led plot to depose the mortal royals. As secrets begin to unravel, they realize they must restore banished magic to the realm, before the coup rips them, and their world, apart.

Cidney Mayes is a teacher, librarian and writer of speculative fiction from Portland, Maine. She is currently earning her MFA from Southern New Hampshire University. With over a decade of book review experience, she decided to write the stories she's always wanted to read. Her work explores themes of feminism and power amidst lush, dark, and often magical settings. When not writing, you can find her playing board games and video games, walking in the woods, or watching reality TV with her husband and cats. You can connect with her at cidneymayes.com.