Maqui has never been the trusting sort, especially of the gods. So, when a Daluyan priestess shows up at his doorstep one night, yelling for help, he's not exactly inclined to let her or her wounded friend inside. However, Maqui's optimistic brother has no such qualms. Once the injured woman awakens, and they learn the king has been killed-thus terminating the bond between the gods and mortals-it becomes a race against the clock to track down the exiled heir so the bond can be restored before the lands begin dying. Despite Maqui's reluctant involvement, nothing could've prepared him for how drastically his life would soon change. As the next to ascend to High Priestess, Ayven always intended to be a proper Daluyan-which meant placing her duty above all else, primarily above fraternizing and worldly possessions. For most of her life, she'd tiptoed between piousness and dissent, all at the risk of execution by the no-nonsense Conclave that governs her people. But when she meets Nik, whose optimism and kindness reminds her there's a life beyond the robes, she realizes some things are worth crossing the line for. Book 1 of The Gilded Insurgency Series, REIGN OF SHADOW AND ASHES is a New Adult romantic fantasy set in a world influenced by Greek mythology. It'll sweep readers into a character-driven journey while exploring the themes of self-discovery, the cost of duty, and the fear of surrendering to love. - This book contains references to mild torture, suicidal ideation, depression, self-harm (not on page), attempted hanging, drug addiction, attempted rape, blood, graphic violence, profanity, and explicit sexual situations.