Coming October 2025
What makes a dream worth dying for?
As a Mimic, Echo must hide behind masks to avoid the Untold—the secret police hungry for the magic in her blood. Constantly assuming new identities made it hard enough to become the famous bard of her dreams. After cheating a god and losing her singing voice, it’s impossible. Her childhood friend, Rhienne, is the only one loyal and reckless enough to help her.
When a few angry words unraveled her mother’s spirit, Rhienne realized how vital, and fragile, dreams are. Neither a pact with the God of Endings or a botched theft of the Untold’s most powerful artifact have brought her mother back. With a god’s claim on her soul and an ex-girlfriend leading the hunt to catch her, Echo’s talent for disappearing might be Rhienne’s last chance at freedom.
They’ll cross continents and dimensions for power strong enough to thwart their enemies and undo the mistakes of their past. But with all magic ruled by bargains, the gods want to hold sway over the scales. If Echo and Rhienne refuse to pay their debts, they’ll find out just how much more they have to lose.
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art by @alana.rene.art
“The easiest way to unravel a dream was from the edges, where the fabric was less realized, the threads more distinguishable. But the most magic came from unraveling it at the center. Take out the underlying support, and the rest fell with it.”
art by @alana.rene.art
“Echo was a maven of masks. She had to be, being what she was. For a Mimic to pass unnoticed in polite society, they had to immerse themselves in their role, leaving no room to doubt their identity. It was imperative, though, to remember it was a disguise, an act that could be abandoned at a moment’s notice. Even after holding onto it for three years.”
About the Author
After realizing an engineering career would lead to the slow death of her soul and sanity, A.J. moved from Texas to Oregon to pursue her true passion: all things nerdy and magical. She leads a Meetup for science fiction and fantasy writers in the Portland area and is an active participant in Willamette Writers. In her free time, if she has no choice but to be perceived, she can be found consuming copious amounts of D&D content, lurking around various bookstores and coffee shops, and hiking with her husband and her pug.