Raised to heal. Now she'll kill.

Before the tournament. Before vengeance. Rose was just trying to survive.

After Prince Kyor’s betrayal shatters her family, Rose is stripped of magic and cast into the brutal slums beneath Wrohelm’s decadent High Hold. With her parents dead and her sister Kay’s future slipping away, survival is all that matters now.

So when the ruthless queen of the city’s criminal underworld offers Kay a chance at a better life, Rose agrees to one impossible task: steal a lethal plant from the Goddess’s sacred temple gardens.

A theft punishable by death.

But the deeper Rose ventures into Wrohelm’s ringed city, the more dangerous the night becomes. Priestesses preach mercy while dealing in bloodshed. Dire wolves stalk the shadows. And the Goddess of Life sees everything.

When the heist spirals into violence, Rose discovers that desperation can turn even a healer into a killer.

This gripping romantasy prequel is perfect for fans of Rebecca Yarros, Sarah J Maas and Carissa Broadbent, featuring a dark fantasy world, loyal sisters, and an underdog heroine willing to kill for those she loves.

Prequel to the award-winning romantasy sensation Web of Vows and Vengeance.

Tropes include:

• Enemies to lovers

• Slow-burn romance

• Deadly trials and tournaments

• Morally grey characters

• Forced proximity

• Royal MMC

• Secrets and lies

• Political tension and rebellion

• Gods, magic, and betrayal

Winner of Best Fantasy Romance (The BookFest Awards 2026) and Best Fantasy Read (Pascify Con Awards 2026).