Novels by Dorianne Ashe

It looked like paradise compared to their current underground home. Dozens upon dozens of islands clustered together like jewels scattered across a painter’s canvas, each one bursting with vibrant greenery and blossoms in every imaginable hue. Archipelagos rose from the bright green waters in jagged crags and towering cliffs, their edges sharp as blades yet softened by the riot of vines and flowers that clung to them. The air in the images seemed alive with color, petals drifting like confetti, birds wheeling in the pink sky, and the shimmer of phebuslight breaking across the waves.Across this verdant expanse, enchanting buildings appeared to grow directly from the land itself. Walls were woven from living trees, their trunks bent and coaxed into elegant shapes, while roofs were carved from stone polished smooth and patterned with moss. The architecture was not imposed upon nature but born from it, a seamless harmony of craft and wilderness. Against the backdrop of the rose-tinted he

“Here, this is why we added the Canaille Redistribution feature,” Mother said, matter-of-factly. “The power in the Final Binding is three times that of your previous ones. That added feature was necessary for that reason alone.”The feed continued. On the screen, the boy in the binding bed flailed against his restraints, crying out for his friends. His flesh swelled until the skin split, then he imploded with such violence that everyone in the room jumped. Gilly recoiled with the rest of them, stomach hollowing; she realized several classmates were turning to look at her. Without a flicker of sympathy, Mother swung her gaze to the two young men nearest the front who looked most unsettled.“I do not mean to be harsh, only direct and honest. So, before you ask, Tobias, Zander, the answer is yes. Yes, not all your friends will make it.” She slapped her hand down on the desk; the sound cracked through the amphitheater and a small, almost pleased grin touched her mouth. “No class has ever

Barely four and a half feet tall, Little Sister’s diminutive frame hid her true age. Her youthful features and petite build blended easily with the student population, masking years that had hardened her in ways Gilly could not see. Cropped slate-blue hair framed high cheekbones, and intricate thermal patterns, like an archaic script etched into her skin, traced her neck and shoulders, hinting at a history older than the classroom itself.Gilly watched Mother glare up at the late arrival, noting how hard she worked to keep disappointment from showing. The corner of Gilly’s mouth lifted in a small, private smile; she felt a strange pride in Mother’s attempt to mimic human temper. Every tiny motion, how Mother stepped from behind her desk, the way she smoothed her coat, read like a practiced performance. A thin hiss of annoyance slipped from Mother as she climbed the auditorium stairs.“So glad you finally decided to join us, Little Sister. Did you not consider the ramifications of bein

“Mother,” several students called at once. She scanned the raised hands, selected one, and then leaned back against her desk, brows creasing as she crossed her arms.“Sauns? My calculated, athletic girl, no need to worry about you. I hear many bets have been placed on you receiving an invitation to House Ninurta. What question could you possibly have with such a secure seat in the Upper?"Sauns’s bronzed face lit with pride, but it faltered as she proceeded with her question. “Thank you, Mother. I want to know what happens to those who don’t get an invitation. There are one hundred and twenty-six of us left in this group. Where do the people go who don’t make it into one of the twelve great Houses?” Sauns glanced toward Gilly as she spoke, and Gilly felt the question land on her like a thrown stone.“Each of the twelve great Houses may send out a maximum of three invitations. The rest go to the Lowborns or to the Markets. There are many options for the less talented.”Gilly sank deepe

The classroom wasn't just a room; it was a subterranean amphitheater. Tiers of smooth, cool stone steps fell away at a dizzying angle toward the center, and to either side dozens of small, organic desks and chairs seemed to grow from the floor itself. A faint tremor ran under Gilly’s feet as she tried to slip in unnoticed.High above, dense luminous roots, thick as pythons, snaked down from the Mother Tree. Their bioluminescence painted the rock in shifting bands of emerald and amethyst. Sleek consoles, their purpose half-technology, half-organic, were woven into the roots and hummed with a quiet efficiency. This was where they learned to survive in the Middle, where they honed their Gifts, and where they prepared to reach the Upper.Gilly eased into the back row and met Mother’s steady gaze. The woman’s face remained austere, but Gilly felt the weight of it like a hand on her shoulder. Mother—teacher, caregiver, scientist—adjusted her pristine white coat, raised a gloved finger to st

Gilly’s fingers tightened around the controls of the Silverback, the sleek assault craft vibrating with barely contained fury as it tore through the pink sky. The Dart was just ahead, its jagged silhouette dashing between the stone spires of the Upper, like a wounded predator.She matched its every move, weaving through the towering sarsens and the impossibly tall trees that clawed at the clouds. The air shimmered with heat and velocity. Her targeting reticle blinked red. One more second and she’d have the kill shot.Next, the blaster fire came, searing past her cockpit from another Dart that now closed in from behind, striking a sarsen spire just ahead. The massive ancient rock groaned, cracked, and began to fall. Gilly swore, jerking the Silverback into a desperate roll.“Mother Fracking Tree!,” she gripped the controls, every muscle tightened, her eyes narrowing to tiny slits.Boulders rained down like the fists of deities. One struck her wing. The craft lurched, shrieked, and bega