Enchantra by Kaylie Smith

Genevieve is enjoying her time in Rome—until crows begin following her. She had asked the universe for a sign, and this seems to be it. After a full day of being shadowed by the birds, she returns to her rental and pulls out a letter—one written by Barrington Silver, addressed to her mother, Tessie. In it, Barrington instructs Tessie to visit his estate, Enchantra, on the night before the Spring Equinox.

Determined to follow the letter’s instructions, Genevieve sets out and locates the estate, but finds it surrounded by magical wards. She manages to slip past them, only to pass out and wake up outside the gates. On her second attempt, she uses her own magic and successfully reaches the front door. A man answers—cold and insistent that she leave. When he slams the door in her face, she uses her magic again to walk through it. Inside, she encounters two more people who claim she shouldn’t be there. Then the first man—Rowin—returns, furious. He tells her she can no longer leave Enchantra.

Barrington finally appears and reveals the truth: years ago, he made a deal with a devil named Knox, binding himself and his family to immortality as wraiths. To maintain this twisted deal, Knox created the Hunt. Each year the Hunt takes place, Barrington’s wife earns one more year of life. But anyone within the estate on the Spring Equinox is automatically entered into the Hunt—meaning Genevieve is now a contestant.

There’s a problem: the Hunt is designed for members of the Silver family. To give Genevieve a fighting chance, Barrington and Rowin propose a solution—Genevieve should marry Rowin, taking his last name. This benefits both of them. Knox once created a loophole: the first time one of Barrington’s children marries for love, their spouse can enter the Hunt alongside them. If the couple wins, both are freed from the curse. If they lose, the spouse becomes bound to the Hunt forever.

Terrified, Genevieve tries to run but ends up being taken directly to Knox. He tricks her into pretending she's already engaged. She attempts to flee the estate again, but fails. With no other options, she marries Rowin and vows to play the game—pretending to be in love. After the ceremony, they retreat to their rooms, and when the clock strikes midnight, the Hunt officially begins. Genevieve faints.

Before the game truly starts, the rules are laid out: from midnight to noon, the Hunt is active—no one can use magic, and killing is allowed. From noon to midnight, powers are restored and it becomes a safe zone. After a welcome party, Knox presents the first challenge. Grave, a member of the Silver family, is handed a ceremonial hunting knife and selects a hide-and-seek style hunt. For twelve hours, Genevieve and Rowin sneak from room to room, getting to know one another. She learns that Rowin has won the past fifteen Hunts, spending each victory year researching a cure for his mother, but never visiting her or the family in Hell.

As the night ends, Grave finds them. He knocks Rowin unconscious and attacks Genevieve. She fights back, but he stabs her just before the twelve-hour mark. She wakes healed—Rowin reveals she nearly died and that he had to bribe his sister, Ellin, to save her.

That evening, Knox visits Genevieve and critiques her performance, saying the "audience" expects more chemistry between the newlyweds. After he leaves, Genevieve goes to the library to research Rowin’s mother’s illness. Grave finds her there and attacks again, but she uses her magic in a new, powerful way to defend herself. Both Grave and Rowin witness this and are stunned. Later, while Rowin is in the bathroom, Genevieve snoops through his desk and finds a secret compartment filled with letters she had written to Enchantra—posing as her mother.

The next night, it’s Remi’s turn to hunt. As Rowin’s identical twin, he briefly tricks Genevieve by impersonating him, but she quickly realizes the truth. She finds the real Rowin, and the two escape through a hidden door to a separate realm. There, they find one of Knox’s special games—completing it grants immunity for the next night. As they solve the puzzle, Genevieve shares her past with a lover named Farrow. To win, they must retrieve an object from a river. Rowin’s fox familiar tries but is attacked by piranhas. Paralyzed with shock, Rowin watches as Genevieve dives in to save the fox. She’s severely injured and loses consciousness. Once again, Rowin bribes Ellin to heal her. When she wakes, he expresses deep gratitude, and they share a meaningful moment.

Genevieve realizes she’s developing feelings for Rowin and warns him that anything between them must be “for the game.” He agrees. At dinner, they celebrate her birthday, but afterward, she confronts him about the hidden letters. Before he can respond, the clock strikes midnight, signaling the next hunt.

This time, Svein hunts. He chooses isolation—each player is confined to a single room. Genevieve and Rowin find a portal room leading to a vast forest. They argue over the letters, with Genevieve saying she no longer trusts him. Rowin admits that he reached out to the Grimm family for help with his mother’s illness and that he hexed the invitation to lure Genevieve to Enchantra. Despite the tension, they share an intimate moment—one that all of Hell sees.

Svein arrives, having already killed Remi, and attacks Genevieve. She escapes through a mirror and finds a token granting her immunity for the next night, but is badly scarred in the process. Rowin does his best to heal her, but Ellin refuses to help. Genevieve is devastated by her disfigurement. Things worsen when Svein storms into their room after the hunt and claims Rowin had made a bet saying he would never sleep with Genevieve. Heartbroken, she runs.

Rowin finds her and insists it was a misunderstanding. To make it up to her, he offers a night away from the Hunt.

Rowin takes Genevieve to Hell to visit his mother—for the first time in fifteen years. Meanwhile, Knox pulls Genevieve aside to show her his treasure trove. Contestants may choose one item, but forget everything else inside. While there, Knox reveals that he both caused and can cure Rowin’s mother’s illness. He offers Genevieve a deal: if she can convince her sister’s lover, Salem, to abandon her sister and return to Hell, Knox will cure everyone affected by the rot. Genevieve refuses, and upon exiting the trove, forgets everything.

On the following night—Ellin’s turn—she chooses a format where players must stay together if they meet. After an awkward encounter with another of Rowin’s brothers, Genevieve and Rowin regroup and form a plan with Ellin and Grave. When it becomes Rowin’s night to hunt, Ellin sacrifices herself, ensuring only Grave and Rowin remain for the final round. They promise Knox a grand finale.

On the final night, Knox offers a deal: if either Rowin or Grave kills Genevieve within the hour, the Silver family will be freed from their curse. Knox is delighted when it appears both brothers are turning on her. He offers them their powers back to make it more entertaining. But the moment magic returns, Rowin and Grave freeze Knox. Genevieve reveals the item she took from the trove—a soul necklace. It rips out Knox’s and Barrington’s souls, breaking the curse. As she dies, Genevieve asks them to protect her soul.

She wakes in New Orleans. Salem is furious—two men had arrived through a portal with her dead body and the soul necklace. He managed to restore her soul, but at the cost of removing her memories of her most loved person. He tells her that one of the men who carried her is the one she forgot.

For two months, Genevieve receives weekly letters detailing her time in Enchantra. One day, she bumps into a man in the street, who gives her a ring. When she puts it on, it brings her comfort. Days later, a memory returns—Rowin bargaining his immortal life in exchange for her memories. As Rowin leaves, one of the demons tells Rowin to give a message to Salem - that he is coming for him. Everything floods back. Genevieve remembers it all—and reunites with Rowin.