Synopsis
Trapped in a castle, a queen starves for moonlight.
For thirty years, Aysel has been cut off from the night and the moon. After the ancient order of priestesses, the Chiroluna, was destroyed and scattered, plagues and famine grip the Solerium Kingdom. Aysel, one of the last remaining priestesses, longs to escape from her prison, but her husband refuses to release her so she can find her remaining sisters and tend to the land as they had for centuries.
As the full moon draws closer, Aysel plots her escape. But breaking out of the castle is one thing. Freeing herself from the king is another.
Review
Grabbed this a bit ago on kindle, and needed a short read for slow bits at work, so this fit perfectly.
This is a story of enslavement and loss. The ancient protectors of the land, the Chiroluna, the masters of moonlight, oversee the land, bringing their bats with them to pollinate the land and keep down the insect populations. However, they’ve been attacked, and one, Aysel, has been forced to remain in her human form for decades. The king, smitten with her human beauty, has effectively clipped her wings, forcing her to wed him, to attend him, to dine with him, but never to enjoy the moonlight again.
However, there are those that still believe in the old ways, seeking the other lost Chiroluna, and painstakingly waiting until the time is ripe to free the Queen. So while this is a dark and abusive tale, it is also one of hope, strength, and eventual freedom.
I’m impressed that in so few words the author was still able to paint multilayered characters. The King, though mislead (and manipulative) is not wholly evil. His love for his Queen is such that he can’t even see the damage caused to his lands by the absence of the Chiroluna. I truly believed that HE believed he was keeping her safe. The author makes a point to state that he used to be kind, gentle even. Perhaps the impending loss of the Queen was a gut feeling for the King, turning his anxiety to cruelty. But, giant mutating bat women have got to fly… and the Queen was a great example of persistence and strength.
This was a quick and well written read, I’d definitely suggest it!
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