Of Night and Chaos

Copyright © 2023 by Jenna Wolfhart All rights reserved. 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. Cover Design by The Book Brander Map by Allison Alexander Chapter Art by Etheric Designs Editing by Practical Proofing Proofreading by Wicked Pen Editorial Proofreading by Holabird Editing Hardcover Character Art by Ruby Dian Arts For every single one of you. Thank you for reading Tessa’s story. Contents Author’s Note The Story So Far Prologue 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 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 Epilogue Stay Connected Glossary Acknowledgments Also by Jenna Wolfhart About the Author Author’s Note This series is intended for adult readers and will contain dark elements. To see a full list of potential triggers, visit www.jennawolfhart.com/books/content or scan the QR code below. The Story So Far In case you need a refresher… In book one, Tessa Baran defied cruel King Oberon by stealing his powerful gemstones from the chasm. He caught her and punished her by choosing her to become his next mortal bride. Once he took her from her loved ones, he terrorized her and tricked her into believing he’d killed her sister. Eventually, she escaped with the help of Morgan, one of Oberon’s guards, who secretly works with the Mist King—Kalen Denare. Kalen found her in the mists and took her back to his kingdom in the mountains. There, he offered her a deal. If she would sneak back across the barrier and kill King Oberon with the Mortal Blade, he would find a safe haven for her people, and he would help her find her family, currently lost somewhere in the mists. She agreed. They traveled together, dodging attacks from dangerous monsters and enemies from the Kingdom of Storms. When they got trapped in a castle in Itchen, they grew closer. But half of the God of Death’s power was also trapped in that castle. She offered Tessa the life of her sister in exchange for her release. Tessa denied her and tried to destroy her as a way to stop the god from muting Kalen’s powers any longer. It was the only way she could help him fight the storm fae, who had been attacking them for days. It worked. Kalen got his powers back, and they survived. Soon after, a letter arrived from Kalen’s kingdom. Tessa’s mother and dearest friend had made it there safely, against all odds. Eagerly, she returned to Kalen’s homeland to reunite with them, only to discover the note was faked. Kalen had betrayed her. According to Morgan, her family was trapped in Oberon’s dungeons, and Kalen had known about it the entire time they’d been traveling together. With vengeance in her heart, she stabbed him with the Mortal Blade, and then returned to Albyria where she stabbed Oberon as well. Unfortunately, she soon discovered the blade was a fake. Oberon didn’t die, and neither did the Mist King. King Oberon then threw her into the dungeons, where she discovered her sister was still alive. That night, when she slept, Kalen visited her dreams. “Hello, love,” he said. “Surprised to see me?” In book two, Tessa and Kalen reconciled in their dreams. He told her he once made a vow to his mother to destroy anyone who brought back the gods. She also learned her own father had dabbled in the dark magic and that Kalen had been forced to kill him. Meanwhile, Oberon prepared her for their wedding ceremony once again. His eldest son, Ruari, encouraged Tessa to fight back. So when Oberon took her before his court, she revealed that he no longer had access to his powers. Oberon retaliated by pulling his power back into his body, breaking down his protective barrier and letting in the mist. But his power fought back against him in an explosion of fire. The entire city was consumed by flames. Tessa fled to Teine with her family, and she discovered writings left behind by her father—evidence that she was a descendent of the God of Death. Not long after, Kalen and his Mist Guard arrived to save her. The Mist Guard led the mortals of Teine to safety while Tessa and Kalen hunted down Oberon. They investigated the Tower of Crones and found Oberon had left behind his previous mortal brides. When one of them touched Tessa’s arm, she gave Tessa a vision. Oberon had been in love with Kalen’s mother, Bellicent Denare, and when she got killed, Oberon turned to the God of Death in order to save her. The God of Death agreed and gifted Bellicent with eternal life—by putting her soul into the bodies of others. After this discovery, Kalen took Tessa to the city of Endir where the other mortals were taking refuge. But Tessa’s mother did not trust the Mist King and she attempted to flee with several others. She was slaughtered by the shadowfiends, leaving Tessa bereft. To help her overcome her grief, Kalen trained her to fight. Meanwhile, Morgan had taken an injured Oberon and a weary Bellicent Denare to a hidden cave in the mountains. There, Bellicent suggested Oberon transfer her soul into Morgan’s body, and Oberon reluctantly agreed. Panicking, Morgan contacted Kalen and asked for his help. After receiving Morgan’s