Blooded Wand

In the shadowed halls of Castle Lightmoore, the ancient Wand chooses its bearer once every hundred years. This time, it chose wrong… or did it? Mara has spent ten years as a kitchen maid—head down, hands raw, invisible. She wants nothing more than to scrub pots and disappear into the steam. But on New Year’s Eve, the Wand flies across the selection chamber and binds itself to her, a servant with no noble blood and no training. The powerful Lightmoore family is furious. A maid? A bastard? The chosen savior of their ancient line? Some demand her death. Others see opportunity. And one ambitious cousin will stop at nothing to claim the power he believes is rightfully his. Thrust into a world of dangerous magic, bloodline politics, and an encroaching war with the Dark Elves, Mara must learn to wield a sentient artifact that speaks to her in feelings rather than words. The Wand chose her for a reason. It sees something in her that no one else does—something even she doesn’t believe exists. But power always comes with a price. And in a family built on ambition and legacy, survival may mean becoming everything she swore she never wanted to be. Blooded Wand is a dark fantasy story about an unwilling heroine, the weight of unwanted destiny, and the quiet strength of those who were never meant to rule.