Novels by SJ Fedlin

CREST POV My uncle’s sharp eyes stayed locked on my face for what felt like an eternity. I kept my chin up, forcing my expression to remain as blank and cold as stone. I could not let him see the absolute terror shaking my insides. Just as I opened my mouth to invent a lie, the head councilman stepped up to the wooden platform and banged a heavy brass gong. The loud sound echoed across the entire courtyard, saving me from my uncle's interrogation. My uncle frowned, giving me one last warning look before turning around. He marched back to his high seat on the platform, his heavy black cloak billowing behind him. I let out a long, shaky breath that I didn't realize I was holding. Beside me, Estella finally stopped shaking. "Welcome, aspirants!" the head councilman shouted, his voice booming over the silent crowd. "Today is the final day of the Lily River Camp trials. Before we send you into the dangerous woods for the Great Challenge, we will introduce each contestant to the pack l

CREST POV The wooden door of my cabin felt cold against my palm. I pressed my back against the wall, holding my breath as a patrol of camp guards marched past the window. Their heavy boots crunched loudly on the gravel path outside. My heart was pounding so hard against my ribs that I was sure they would hear it. I waited in the shadows, my muscles tense, until the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance. Once the coast was clear, I turned the handle slowly, slipped inside, and shut the door behind me with a soft click. "Oh my Goddess, Crest! You're finally here!" A frantic voice whispered from the dark corners of the room. It was Estella. She rushed toward me, her eyes wide with terror and her face pale. She was pacing back and forth so much that her hair was completely messy. She grabbed my shoulders, her hands shaking violently. "I was so scared, Crest!" Estella whispered loudly, checking me from head to toe. "I stayed up all night waiting for you. The morning bell i

HUNTER POV The morning sun was rising over the mountains. The light was bright and warm, but a strange, sweet smell still hung in the air. It was a very thick scent, like flowers mixed with magic. I walked fast through the trees, keeping my steps quiet. Right next to me was a woman. I knew her name was Crest, but my mind felt heavy, like it was full of thick gray clouds. We were standing right at the edge of the Lily River Camp perimeter. This was the boundary line. Inside the line were the camp barracks, the training grounds, and the guards. "Keep low," I whispered to her. I pointed toward a pair of guards walking near the main concrete fence. They held long spears and wore thick armor. They were looking around the woods for any late aspirants. If they caught us out here after dawn, we would both be in big trouble. Crest did not answer me. She just stood there, staring at the camp. Her eyes looked blank, like she was asleep with her eyes wide open. "Crest?" I whispered

CREST POV "Thank Goddess I trusted you," I breathed, the adrenaline still pulsing hot through my veins. I moved up slowly from the edge, and he did the same, matching my pace without pulling his hand away from mine. His grip was warm. Sending electrifying sensation through my body. He grinned, taking a slow, deliberate step toward the very edge of the cliff to cast a glance into the abyss below. Following his lead, I forced my feet forward, swallowing the sharp knot of nerves tightening in my throat. I risked a look down. The sheer, dizzying height immediately sent cold shivers racing down my spine. I gasped, letting out a heavy, trembling exhale as I stepped back. "Glad we're okay now," I said, my voice finally steadying. He turned, scanning the dark perimeter of the treeline before responding. "You have a strong heart back there." "Thanks," I let out a breathless, nervous laugh. "I was having second thoughts, honestly, but there were no other choices." "Back to business, any

HUNTER POV The blue fire didn't just burn; it hissed like a nest of disturbed vipers, consuming the oxygen in the clearing at a terrifying speed. The smoke was thick and suffocating, stinging my eyes and scraping against the back of my throat. My wolf was pacing frantically within my mind, his usual arrogance entirely replaced by survival instinct. "The path back to the camp is completely cut off," he warned, his voice echoing sharply over the roaring flames. "If we stay here, the smoke will drop us before the fire even touches our skin." "We can't go back!" I shouted over the din of the crackling, magical blaze, my grip still tight around the her wrist. "The fire has entirely sealed the eastern ridge!" She didn't panic, which surprised me. Despite her trembling frame and the absence of any dominant aura, her gaze remained sharp and calculating. She scanned the wall of encroaching blue flames, her eyes locking onto the only break in the perimeter—a steep, ascending rocky slope th

HUNTER POVThe ethereal glow of the light grew blindingly bright, casting long, distorted shadows through the skeletal branches of the pines. The girl stopped at the edge of a small, hidden clearing, her silhouette framed by the strange radiance.My wolf shifted uneasily in the back of my mind."Hunter, this is wrong. The scent of it, is too strong. That isn't a natural fire.""I know," I thought back, my muscles tight, ready to spring. "But she’s getting too close to it."She reached a trembling hand out toward the pulsing light, completely mesmerized. I couldn't risk her triggering a trap—or worse, vanishing into whatever magic the council had hidden out here. Breaking my stealth, I stepped out from the thick brush, the leaves crunching loudly beneath to finally announce my presence."I wouldn't touch that if I were you," I said, my voice deep and commanding, carr