The Stars Are Dying

Astraea remembers only scraps of her life. She was held captive for years, and she now lives in a safe home behind walls, in a world its celestial guardians have abandoned and a tyrant king rules. Rumour says vampires roam beyond those walls.

She sets out to learn who she was. On the way she makes a bargain with Nyte, a charming and mysterious stranger who offers his protection. Soon she suspects that her partner may be one of the creatures her people have always dreaded.

Her chance to escape the deal comes with the Libertatem, a set of trials the king hosts. Five human lands compete, and the winner earns a spell of protection from the vampires. The trials need a champion from each land, and the one chosen for Astraea's region is her friend Cassia. Astraea has to decide whether to step into Cassia's place.

The choice sets two aims against each other: protecting her kingdom and uncovering her past. Nyte offers to help with both, and she has to decide whether to trust him. This is the first book of the Nytefall trilogy, a fantasy with vampires in a dark, kingdom-wide contest.