A Night of Greed & Gluttony [A dark fantasy murder mystery]

Hidden amongst the Deciding Stratum—there lives the legend of a condemned, shunned noblewoman; cursed to cannibalize her way out of mortality. Lux Lea-Bethel, a genius angel incapable empathy and love, is one assignment away from graduation at her divine academy. Believing she has nothing left to learn, and deserves nothing but praise for her accomplishments, she expects her final given assignment to be of straightforward ease. To her dismay, the assignment she receives is far from simple, and unlike anything asked of her before. Tasked with saving the soul of cursed, undead noblewoman, Azazel Avarice in the short span of three months before her scheduled damnation, Lux leaves behind the Upper-Plane. Instructed to return with three things, Azazel’s repented soul, a thesis recounting her three months within the Avaritia house, and a real, emotional connection to the Mortal-Plane. Only if she meets all three criteria will she receive her diploma; alongside a prestigious position in the Upper-Plane’s historical archive. The troubling thing is that Azazel Avarice refuses to repent—turning away solace as if it has come to reap her. However, she does suggest one compromise. “I was killed and cursed in those woods twelve years ago—find that damned sorcerer and I might consider solace.” At the mercy of this spoiled rotten woman; Lux finds herself desperately searching for emotions she’s never felt. As she untangles the truth of Azazel’s twisted existence, her undue death, she slowly finds herself willing to do anything to get Azazel what she wants. No matter if it means tearing apart the Avaritia house from the inside—or bringing an entirely different set of souls back to the Upper-Plane after she’s done. Genres: Dark Fantasy, Mystery, Horror, Romance (GL/LGBT/Yuri) Cover artist: @amaimanis_lab on Instagram This is an original work, a work-in-progress, and is only available on Royal Road and SubStack by A.A. Blackwood. If you find this work available or being sold anywhere else, please let me know.