The Aelwynne Chronicles Book 1

Ten-year-old Charlotte has always been different-isolated, afraid, convinced she's a monster. When her eyes turn golden and shadows bend to her will, she discovers the truth: she carries dark magic, forbidden and dangerous. Sent to Aelwynne magical academy to learn control, Charlotte finds something she never expected: belonging. But her newfound home shatters when a dark magic user named Garka emerges from the past, determined to capture her and forge her into a weapon. As the school falls under siege, Charlotte discovers an impossible truth-the mother she believed abandoned her is alive, fighting to protect her. Together, they must survive not just Garka's attack, but the Council's judgment: is Charlotte too dangerous to live free? In the aftermath, Charlotte faces a choice that will define her future. To survive what's coming, she must learn to embrace the very magic everyone fears-and discover that having both light and dark doesn't make her broken. It makes her whole. Perfect for readers who crave emotionally rich fantasy with complex magic systems and the transformative power of found family.