The Ashen Thornwood: The Villainess Who Saved the World

Centuries after Briar Rose's awakening, the kingdom of Aethelgard lies in ruins, choked by ashen vines and ruled by the iron fist of a fear-driven king. Magic, once the land's lifeblood, is now a forbidden whisper. From this desolation rises Malvina, the Thorn Witch, a figure condemned by history, her memories fragmented shards of a curse, a spindle, and a looming shadow. Haunted by the whispers of "wicked step-aunt," she struggles to reconcile the fragments of her past with the desolate present.

Driven by a desperate need to understand her role in Aethelgard’s decay, Malvina finds an unlikely ally in Orlin Hayes, a driven scholar obsessed with restoring the kingdom's lost magic. He sees past the thorns of her reputation, sensing a deeper truth beneath the layers of distorted history. Together they embark on a perilous journey through the blighted landscapes, a quest that intertwines with the struggles of Hayley Davis, a pragmatic herbalist battling the barren soil, and Justin Torres, a cynical woodsman haunted by the silent screams of vanished forest spirits.

Their path is fraught with danger, shadowed by King Theodore’s relentless pursuit and the chilling efficiency of his most formidable knight, Sir Kenneth Mcdonald. As they navigate the decaying kingdom, Malvina's fragmented memories begin to coalesce, revealing a horrifying truth: the sleeping curse was not an act of malice, but a desperate attempt to contain a far greater evil – the Whisperer in the Roots, a malevolent entity slumbering beneath the royal castle, whose awakening could trigger an irreversible ecological collapse.

Torn between the weight of a misremembered past and the urgent need to save the kingdom, Malvina must confront her own dormant magic, the very power that could unleash the Whisperer. Will she succumb to the label of "wicked," or embrace her true nature and rewrite her story? Her choice will determine not only her fate but the destiny of Aethelgard itself.

In a world where history has blurred the lines between good and evil, Malvina's journey becomes a fight for redemption, a quest to heal a blighted land, and a testament to the enduring power of nature's forgotten stories. Enter the ashen thornwood, and discover a tale that reimagines the classic fairytale, weaving a narrative of resilience, ecological harmony, and the transformative power of embracing one's true self.

© 2024 PublishDrive (Ebook): 6610000682966

Release date

Ebook: December 13, 2024