Of Ashes and Crowns

Copyright © 2023 by Amber Palmer All rights reserved. Paperback ISBN: 979-8986370347 Hardback ISBN: 979-8986370354 No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters, and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Complete Editing Services performed by Heather Nix Chapter Headings created by Amanda at Eternal Geekery Map created by Amanda at Eternal Geekery Cover Design by Amanda at Eternal Geekery Of Ashes and Crowns Helia is fractured, attempting to recover from tragic loss and shocking revelations. The lines between good and evil have become blurred and it is difficult to know who can be relied upon in this time of unrest. The continent faces ruthless attacks by the Horde while Helia is left reeling from an unsettling truth. Alliances must be made in order to survive the war, but all is not what it seems. Those who remain in Helia struggle to process their trauma. While some find solace in turning to their work, others struggle to find a semblance of normality finding nothing but pain. Ghosts from the past have come back to haunt them, and the only way to put them to rest is to face them head one. There is one thing known for certain: The Horde is coming and they do not know how to stop them. As our beloved heroes approach their final battle, relationships will be tested, and sacrifices must be made. Can Aethion be saved? Or will it all have been in vain? This is the last stand, the bloody battleground on which good will face evil, and not everyone will make it out alive. For every single person who picked up my book and decided to follow me through until the end. You mean more to me than I can ever say. * * * Also for Heather and Jess, without whom, there would be no book. Playlist I’ve put together a playlist for the book on Spotify. Go check it out if you’re interested. Or not. It’s pretty good if I say so myself, but it has WAY too many songs to post them all right here. A NOTE BEFORE YOU BEGIN 1. If you know me and you’re reading this, I want you to know that there are smutty scenes before you begin. Don’t say that you weren’t warned. You have been. Here’s your neon sign. 2. For my family, SPECIFICALLY: We will not be talking about those aforementioned scenes. The only thing we will discuss is how utterly fantastic the book is. 3. Don’t argue about rule number 2. It’s non-negotiable. Content/Trigger Warnings This book is intended for those 18+. - Graphic Sexual Content - PTSD Depictions - Graphic Descriptions of Violence/Death/Dying/War - Mention/Intention of Suicidal Thoughts or Idealization - Alcohol Use/Dependency - Mention of Pregnancy/Miscarriage - Funeral/Loss of a Loved One - Very Adult Language - Grief - Anxiety/Depression - Thoughts of Worthlessness Contents 1. Eva 2. Damien 3. Matthew 4. Renai 5. Eva 6. Matthew 7. Kalen 8. Eva 9. Renai 10. Damien 11. Kalen 12. Renai 13. Matthew 14. Eva 15. Kalen 16. Matthew 17. Eva 18. Renai 19. Eva 20. Renai 21. Kalen 22. Damien 23. Damien 24. Kalen 25. Matthew 26. Renai 27. Kalen 28. Eva 29. Damien 30. Renai 31. Matthew 32. Kalen 33. Eva 34. Kalen 35. Damien 36. Kalen 37. Matthew 38. Damien 39. Matthew 40. Kalen 41. Eva 42. Renai 43. Damien 44. Matthew 45. Eva 46. Matthew 47. Eva 48. Damien 49. Matthew 50. Renai 51. Eva Also by Amber Palmer Meet Amber Chapter 1 Eva You were too late. You couldn’t save them. The ground quaked beneath me to match the pounding heart in my chest. I couldn’t breathe; there was not enough air to take into my lungs as I stared at the lifeless figures before me. It was dark, and I was shrouded in complete darkness save for a single light shining down from above. My mother and Erina were dead. Their soulless gazes stared back at me—an empty, cloudy pit of despair I couldn’t help but sink into. There was nothing left. Not even a single spark. I screamed out, hoping someone, anyone, would hear me and it wouldn’t be in vain. But there was no one. I was alone. Scrambling forward, I clutched their bodies to mine as if I could give myself up for them. They were cold, had been cold for days now as I sat here and cried. No one was coming. I was trapped inside my mind, a quiet fortress that continuously replayed the worst events of my life. Footsteps sounded across the marble floor. Damien appeared out of the shadows, his bright blue eyes shining as he looked down at me with pity. For a moment, he looked normal. Like the boy I remembered. “Please,” I begged. “Please help them.” He stood in front of us with his hands behind his back, clicking his tongue at me. “You can’t save them, Eva. You never can. How many times have you tried, and yet it is not enough?” “I can. I can save them. I just need help. Please!” Orion was next, a horrific smile stretched tight across his face. “She’ll never learn,” he said to his son. “She is weak. She has always been weak.” “I’m not weak!” I screamed, but I didn’t feel the power behind the words. Because I was weak. I couldn’t save them. I couldn’t save anybody. “They died because of you, Eva,” he sneered. “Everyone will die because of you.” They