Dream by the Shadows by Logan Karlie

Here is a summary with spoilers for Dream by the Shadows by Logan Karlie

Esmer Havenfall’s life has always felt a bit mundane. The one interesting thing about her world is that the Kingdom of Noctis is plagued by Corruption—a curse that spreads through dreams and can only be cured by drinking an elixir. The elixir is only distributed through the generosity of the royals and the Light Bringer.

One night, Esmer tells her sister Eden that they should stop taking the elixir, and they do. But eventually the Shadow Bringer comes for her and takes Eden. Not only does it take her sister, but it also takes their mother. When Esmer’s father stands up for his wife, the two of them are placed on the execution platform. Esmer and her younger brother Elliot are at a loss, unsure of what to do now that they are about to lose their parents. On top of that, the townspeople are likely to come after them next because of their parents’ actions. Esmer decides she must take Elliot and flee.

Soon, Esmer begins to have strange dreams and eventually becomes trapped in one with the Shadow Bringer. He begs her to release him, but she refuses, knowing that if she does, all her people will fall to Corruption. The Shadow Bringer continues to insist, but she is saved when the Light Bringer appears in her dream and pulls her out.

Back in the waking world, Esmer speaks with the Light Bringer. He wants to know what kind of power she possesses, since it seems she carries some of the Shadow Bringer’s strength. He offers her a bargain: if she can find the location of the Shadow Bringer’s tomb, all her family’s crimes will be forgiven, and she and Elliot will be given sanctuary. The only catch is that the Shadow Bringer must be killed for the plan to succeed. Esmer is hesitant about that part.

She eventually discovers the tomb and takes the Light Bringer there, but the plan goes horribly wrong. The Shadow Bringer is released and bound to Esmer. The two must now travel through his dreams and memories to learn how he ended up cursed and who the true enemy is, as well as how they can break free. The problem is that they can only enter his dreams three times. Since he is over 500 years old, they must choose carefully which memories to explore.

As they deliberate, Esmer and the Shadow Bringer begin to understand each other and even grow close. He reveals his true name—Aribus—when he takes her into one of his earliest memories, witnessing the traumatic death of his parents, which led him to strike a deal with a god that ruined his life.

Next, they revisit the memory of the betrayal that doomed him. During a ball, his closest friends turned against him, trapping him in the nightmares. As they watch events unfold, Esmer and Aribus share their first kiss. He is stunned, having been alone for over five centuries. Together, they finally uncover the key to releasing him from the curse, and they succeed.

However, once freed, they discover that demons and human souls are intertwined, and that both Esmer and Aribus are shadow weavers—able to command demons that may or may not obey. Now they must find a way to break the curse entirely before the red-eyed demon comes for them.