Tortured Souls

Melissa K. Roehrich

Book 1 of The Avonleya Series

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Kailia, a mysterious weapon-wielding Ash Rider, ends up bound to Cethin, the young king of the isolated, curse-locked kingdom of Avonleya, while Razik, a resentful dragon-shifter guard, is assigned to watch her every move. As phantom monsters threaten the realm and blood magic secrets unravel, the three are pulled into a tangle of forced proximity, buried trauma, and political intrigue where no one is quite who they seem. It's a slow-burn, multi-POV dark fantasy romance built on distrust, banter, and simmering tension rather than easy trust. The story is the first half of a planned duology and does not resolve on its own.