by Tonya Ring
A thousand years ago, the world was shattered by the apocalypse foretold within the Book of Revelation. Now, the demon king Adramelech rules with merciless tyranny, killing all who might threaten his power. Within the darkness, hope stays alive like a slow-burning ember, ready to ignite into a fiery blaze of rebellion. Prophets speak of a half-demon destined to confront Adramelech. But the outcome is uncertain... Keshiema Chaos remembers only fragments of the night her human family died: blood, black mist, a mysterious figure protecting her from sharing her family's fate. But was it truly salvation to be sent to an abusive orphanage for three years? Keshiema thought leaving the orphanage would be a blessing, even if it meant joining the Military Academy and leaving her friends behind. But demon society was built on two things: Power and bloodlines. As a half-demon orphan, Keshiema has neither, and twelve years later, she has yet to master navigating the world of demons. At the orphanage, she had found purpose in healing her fellow orphans after the caretakers would beat them. At the Academy, she is treated more like a diseased rodent than a comrade in arms. Thankfully, the Academy's training helped her properly hone her healing magic and prepare for her other demonic powers to develop. But even those powers have marked her as different. Her unmatched speed and unprecedented gift to heal her own wounds have helped her survive the Academy and master her swords, but she is far from the strong stoic warrior she is expected to be. She cannot hide her emotions; they are as plain to see as the shifting color of her hair and eyes, a trait never before seen among demonkind. The older demons pay her no mind, and she likes it that way, but the younger ones are volatile and easily offended. Her mere existence as a Half-Demon angers many, and some are not afraid to show it. But Keshiema only has one year left before she can leave the Academy behind her and find her place among the faceless soldiers of the Elders. And Leave Season starts in a week, so unless something catastrophic and life-changing happens, she won't have to worry about them for two months. But before Leave Season can even begin, catastrophe strikes in the form of an assassination attempt. Suddenly, Keshiema is drawn into a web of prophecy, power, and betrayal. She must embark on a journey fraught with danger and uncertainty, where enemies wear a mask of friendship and deception hides behind a wall of truths. To survive, she must forge dangerous alliances and uncover the truth behind her fractured memories while trying to heal from the wounds of her traumatic past. All she knows now is that Fate has claimed her; whether as a weapon or a sacrifice has yet to be determined.
