Shadows Fall Apart
In the enchanting realm of Escuarya, where magic once flowed freely under the dominion of the cruel and immortal fey, Wisteria stands apart from her kin. She has mastered the art of deception, never staying too long, and keeping her freedom. Above all, she understands the peril of crossing paths with the queens ruling her land.
Yet, as a darkness grips Escuarya, draining the very essence of its magic, the queens turn to Wisteria to reclaim their waning powers. A chance at redemption entangles her in a web of treachery and intrigue. As deceitful guards and cunning thieves enter the fray, the lines between ally and enemy blur. The queens' desperate bid pins Wisteria between romance and betrayal.
Lost in a labyrinth of deceit and greed, Wisteria soon discovers she isn't the only one keeping secrets. In a race against time and everything she stands to lose, she must navigate a path to freedom. When surrounded by executioners, she must keep her wits. There are worse things to lose than her head.
Shadows Fall Apart is a fantasy romance novel that features morally-grey women, the apotheosis of heroes, and the obligations of each.
Natalie wrote the first draft of this novel in 2020 over five months; in 2022, she rewrote it over seven months. She will commence the third round of edits in 2023.
“Why do you fight me so much?”
Taran’s jaw throbbed. “I could ask the same of you.”
“But I have an answer,” Wisteria retorted, her words coming sharper. “You’re an enemy.”
“I’m protecting you.”
“From everything I want.”
His voice dropped an octave, his gaze dipping with it, to her lips, to her jaw, to her collarbone. “And what is it you want?”
Oh, how much she wished it was something romantic, something to make him smile, something to make him kiss her. Instead, there was only honesty at her lips: “Freedom.”
“Freedom. Freedom,” Taran tasted the word, “isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
- An excerpt from Shadows Fall Apart