For humans, Salizar’s is a place of mystery and wonder. For Harrow, it’s a place to hide from those who slaughtered her entire clan.
We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from Sanctuary of the Shadow, a new romantic fantasy by Aurora Ascher, out from Entangled Publishing on January 9.
For humans, Salizar’s is a place of mystery and wonder. For Harrow, it’s a place to hide from those who slaughtered her entire clan. A haven where she can disguise both her abilities and who she really is.
Until he arrives.
He has no recollection of who—or even what—he is. He only knows that he’s a monster, with wings and powerful abilities never seen before. But beneath the layers of rage and isolation, one glimpse into those inky black eyes reveals a soul that calls out to the loneliness in Harrow.
And so she chooses him.
She is drawn to the mystery of him, her unquenchable need for his kiss. And as powerful enemies align and conspire against them, Harrow knows their only hope is escape.
Now, with every secret she unlocks from his past, a shadow from her own whispers free—luring enemies who will stop at nothing to get their final revenge on Harrow. And she’s given them the perfect weapon… because her winged beast is not what he seems.
But maybe it’s time they finally learn—neither is she.
From the height of the wagon, he positively loomed over her, but she didn’t shy away, which surprised him. He could practically smell her fear, it was so strong.
She ought to be recoiling from the sight of him as others had done.
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Sanctuary of the Shadow
Instead, she’d asked what his name was. And suddenly, it mattered to him that he had one.
He cast about the room for inspiration, and his eyes landed upon Loren’s misspelled sign. A sense of rightness sparked inside him, and before he knew it, he was opening his mouth and speaking for the first time in his memory.
“Raith.”
His voice was hoarse and quiet from disuse, but the woman heard him anyway.
“Raith?” Her eyes huge in the dim light, she followed his gaze over to the sign before looking back at him. “That’s your name?”
Yes, he thought. He supposed it was.
He was no longer nameless, no longer just a “creature” or an unclassifiable abomination. He was Raith. Not a wraith, but something else. The misspelled version, the mistake with no past or future.
The woman continued to stare at him. She seemed torn between fear and intrigue. He wondered why she bothered fighting her instinct to flee, and he studied her, trying to understand.
She wore a loose white gown with a colorful robe on top. Bare feet poked out from beneath her dress. Her hair was a wild mess of black curls, tied back by a colorful band of silk. Her skin was deep tan, several shades lighter than his current color, her eyes a luminous silver reminiscent of the moon’s glow.
She was… beautiful.
It almost surprised him to be aware of this. Everyone he had come across since awakening in the desert had been ugly, of face or personality, but not her. He supposed he must’ve had some unconscious knowledge that beauty existed, but until he’d laid eyes upon her, he’d been unaware of what it looked like. Now, he knew.
He hadn’t verbalized his response to her question, but she seemed to understand anyway because she said, “Nice to meet you, Raith. I’m Harrow.”
Though he knew he hated to speak for some reason, he opened his mouth and used his voice once more.
“Harrow.” Her name.
Reprinted by permission of Red Tower Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing.
