The Curse of Saints

About the Author Kate Dramis is an Atlanta-based writer whose obsession with fantasy worlds and escaping into a good love story eventually drove her to chase her dreams of being an author. Inspired by a dream about a woman calling down lightning to save a friend, The Curse of Saints is Kate’s debut fantasy novel and the first in the trilogy. When she’s not busy writing banter that makes her laugh in an embarrassingly loud fashion, you can find her impulse booking her latest travel adventure, snuggling with her three dogs and cat, or tormenting her growing legion of readers on TikTok and Instagram with vague book teasers. You can connect with Kate on her social media sites, and visit www.thecurseofsaints.com Kate Dramis THE CURSE OF SAINTS Contents Cover About the Author Title Page Dedication Map Excerpt from the Conoscenza, Book of Exousia 23: 14–23 PART ONE: Predators and Prey Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 PART TWO: Enemies and Allies Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 PART THREE: Sins and Saints Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Epilogue Glossary Acknowledgements Copyright v ix For Cassie and Mollie, who have read every version of this story to ever exist. I love you both to the moon and back. Excerpt from the Conoscenza, Book of Exousia 23: 14–23 But after the War the gods were merciful. Rather than banishing the Visya – those blessed with kernels of raw, godlike power – they bound the affinities, so that no Visya may grow powerful enough to challenge the Nine Divine again. Thus was the creation of the three orders: The Order of the Corpsoma: Physical Affinities Zeluus: Strength Affinity Anima: Life and Death Affinity The Order of the Dultra: Elemental Affinities Incend: Fire Affinity Caeli: Air Affinity Terra: Earth Affinity Auqin: Water Affinity The Order of the Espri: Mind, Emotion, and Sensation Affinities Sensainos: Sensation and Emotion Affinity Persi: Persuasion Affinity Saj: Knowledge Affinity Let us never forget the grace of the gods or Saint Evie, who selflessly sacrificed her life for the salvation of the realm. We cherish the balance the Divine have commanded. We rebuke darkness in accordance with the wrath of the gods. We honor the sacrifice that kept life in our realm so that we may one day find true