A Lullaby of Sand and Silver - Book 1 COMPLETED [Cozy Fantasy + Coming-of-Age + Character-Driven Slow Burn]

Schedule: Schedule: Every Tuesday and Thursday A LULLABY OF SAND AND SILVER (BOOK ONE) Ashrat survives through sharp steel, sharper lies, and a rule that keeps her breathing: never let anyone see the soft parts. In a vineglass palace of clockwork guardians and perfumed rot, she takes a contract on a corrupt viscount and pays the price for one slip—blood, pain, and an empty socket that never stops aching. Then she meets Ithriam, a Sage with too many secrets and a gaze that lands on her like he sees the child beneath the mask. When violence tears through the Archive and its sealed Vault, Ashrat follows him into the dark, chasing leverage and escape. The Vault gives her neither. It gives her Tazkhar al-Khurūj—living silver that pours into her blood and binds her to a covenant: no cruelty, no vanity, no vengeance. Break it, and the weapon turns on its wielder. With rival Sages closing in and a fire-haired priestess stealing something ancient from the inner chamber, Ashrat faces a truth she can’t stab or steal her way past: the enemy that hunts her most has her face. The journey does not ask who she pretends to be. It asks who she chooses. Genres Adventure Fantasy (journey across a whole continent) Cozy-ish Fantasy (soft moments between panic attacks) Character-Driven Road Trip Castle-punk → Solarpunk transition Found Family Soft Mentor × Feral Child Dynamics Coming-of-Age (but with knives) Magitech/Clockwork Tech + Solar Panels Low-to-Mid Magic System: Thaumaturgy (glyphs, wards, sun-runes, runic crafts) What to Expect A traumatized young assassin who insists she’s “fine” while bleeding everywhere A stubborn old wizard who survives on herbal tea. Long journeys on foot, by boat, by horse, and by airship Quiet conversations by a campfire after screaming all day Pocket-sized disasters, emotional breakthroughs, and stew that may or may not be edible Clockwork knights, sun-powered cities, and grown-wood buildings. Small towns, river markets, desert caravans, and sky-guild ports No world-saving prophecies—just two people helping whoever stands in front of them Trauma, trust issues, and found family (the holy trinity) Fights, flight, mild arson, and one (1) pirate fleet problem A cozy tone wrapped around dangerous moments: Frieren + Howl’s Moving Castle vibes