Nevermore by Miranda Lyn

The story follows Paesha, a fierce, haunted woman navigating the dangerous realm of Wisteria while trying to find a way back to a little girl named Quill—her adoptive daughter and the heartbeat of her world. Torn between the powerful bargain she’s bound to and her growing feelings for Thorne, the enigmatic Lord of the Salt, Paesha must decide between saving herself, protecting those she loves, or burning everything to the ground.

She gets torn from her world, and sent to another, with a timeline of getting back. If she can’t get back, she will never see Quill again. As she is navigating this new world, she runs into some guards, but a man named Reverius helps her out, and they pretend to be a married couple to trick the guards. Because the trick worked so well, Reverius decides that they should stick with that plan, and he can use Paesha to get what he wants as well. He introduces her to his friends, a group called The Fray; two of whom are Archer and Harlow, a brother sister combo that are hiding some of their own secrets. The Fray are also trying to save as many children as they can from losing their magic. 

The story reaches a brutal emotional and magical crescendo. The death of Harlow, Archer's sister, is a defining tragedy. After a daring rescue attempt, Harlow dies in her brother’s arms, surrounded by the grieving members of the Fray. Archer’s grief is gutting, and he buries her with trembling hands, placing his lucky coin in her palm “for the ferryman,” vowing she will never be alone, even in death.

The final chapters reveal Paesha’s terrifying transformation. Having been manipulated and betrayed by Reverius—who is truly the god Thorne in disguise—Paesha fully unleashes the monstrous power inside her. The magic she thought she’d stolen was in fact hers all along: born of wrath, loss, and godly lineage. She hails from both Alastor, the God of Lost Things, and Irri, the Goddess of Broken Things. With this divine heritage, Paesha becomes a vessel of vengeance. Her powers erupt in violent, inky tendrils and destructive light as the veiled realms begin to collapse, tearing at the fabric of reality.

As chaos consumes Wisteria and Requiem, Paesha faces Vesalia and Thorne—if that was even truly Thorne. Archer warns her that the man she last saw may not have been Thorne at all. It becomes clear that Reverius/Thorne has been deceiving her from the very beginning, using lies, illusion, and love as weapons to entrap her in the veiled realm.

The gods disappear in the climax, leaving the world trembling in their wake. Paesha, finally reunited with her power, vows to no longer be their victim. Her final words are chilling: “Nevermore their victim. Nevermore their fool.” 

In an epilogue, The story shifts to Reverius, imprisoned in a distant realm. Though bound, he is far from defeated. He broods over Paesha’s defiance, replaying her betrayal, obsessing over her power, and craving revenge. In his twisted mind, he still believes she loved him—still yearns for that illusion—and his delusions make his wrath even more dangerous. He vows to break free and finish what he started.

“I’m coming for you… and this time, I won’t fail”