She came to heal dragons. He was born to ride them into war. Bound together by an ancient dragon bond neither of them wanted, a broken first-year and the academy's most feared war rider must survive ruthless training, deadly secrets, and a kingdom on the brink of war—without killing each other first.
Getting accepted into Valoria Academy of Performing Arts is every dancer's dream. Staying there is another story. After a disappointing first year at another conservatory, Y/N transfers to Valoria determined to prove she belongs among the country's best. But at an academy where reputations are everything, she's quickly labeled *the transfer*—an outsider fighting for a place in a world that already moved on without her. Her biggest challenge? Kael Arden. The youngest captain in Valoria's history, Kael is admired for his brilliance and feared for his impossible standards. When Y/N joins his troupe, every rehearsal becomes a battle of wills, pushing them both to their limits. Everything changes when they're unexpectedly chosen to perform the academy's featured duet at the National Conservatory Showcase. Forced to choreograph an intimate contemporary piece together, late-night rehearsals, lingering touches, and stolen glances begin to blur the line between performance and reality. As jealousy spreads through the academy, rumors threaten Y/N's reputation, and the pressure to represent Valoria reaches its breaking point. Kael and Y/N must decide whether they're willing to risk everything—for the performance... and for each other. Because at Valoria, every performance is judged. Every mistake is remembered. And sometimes the hardest dance... ...is trusting someone else to catch you.
For nearly two centuries, people have vanished without a trace. It always begins the same. Dreams of mountains. Whispers in the dark. An irresistible urge to follow a call no one else can hear. By morning... they're gone. The Fae call it the Vanishing. The Dragon Riders have spent generations searching for answers. Neither has come close to uncovering the truth. When Y/N—a Fae raised to despise Dragon Riders—is impossibly bonded to Kaelen, one of the Dominion's most promising riders, the two are forced into an alliance that could destroy both of their worlds if discovered. As more people disappear and ancient secrets buried beneath the Heart Mountain begin to awaken, Y/N, Kaelen, and the last Ancient Dragon must uncover a truth powerful enough to rewrite history itself. Because the mountain isn't taking people. It's calling them home.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Alderwyn. Centuries ago, seven rival noble Houses ended a devastating war by swearing the Covenant of Seven, uniting the kingdom under one Crown. Today, the Sovereign and the Seven Great Houses govern Alderwyn together, each entrusted with protecting one pillar of the realm: the Crown, Military, Arts, Agriculture, Trade, Knowledge, and Diplomacy. Every year, the kingdom celebrates the **Festival Circuit**, a season of seven magnificent festivals hosted by each Great House. Filled with grand balls, competitions, political intrigue, and courtship, the Circuit is where reputations are made, alliances are forged, and futures are decided. At the end of every festival, one unmarried noblewoman is chosen as that House's **Favorite**—an honor awarded not for beauty, but for embodying the House's ideals. Each Favorite receives a unique piece of heirloom jewelry representing that House, and earning multiple Favorites is an extraordinary achievement. You are **Y/N Whitlock**, eldest daughter of House Whitlock, the Keeper of Knowledge. Intelligent, graceful, and raised to uphold your family's legacy, you've spent your life fulfilling expectations without question. But as a new Festival Circuit begins, you find yourself longing for something more: the freedom to choose your own future. As you travel across Alderwyn, you'll navigate glittering royal courts, lifelong friendships, political rivalries, family obligations, and unexpected romance. Every choice shapes your reputation, every conversation carries weight, and every relationship has the power to change not only your future—but the future of the kingdom itself. In Alderwyn, honor is earned, love is never simple, and every story begins with a single step onto the dance floor.
My grandfather left me an island, two words… “find her”and absolutely no explanation. I thought Canada would mean a quick inheritance trip before I went back to New York. Then I found a cabin frozen in my dead mother's past, a local girl who hated me on sight, and photographs that shouldn't exist. Apparently, Mom took more than secrets to the grave. She left me a sister.
