Novels by CepRey Sher

Chapter 10: The Time-Twisted ThresholdThe bioluminescent moss beneath them vibrated with a low-frequency hum that made Corvus’s teeth ache. He pushed himself up, his limbs feeling like they’d been reattached by an amateur carpenter, and squinted at the horizon. The glass towers were still there, shifting like reeds in a current, and the sky remained a bruised tapestry of three shattered moons."Aeloria? You still in one piece?" Corvus asked, his voice cracking. He reached out, his fingers fumbling until they found her shoulder.Aeloria groaned, shifting in the glowing grass. She looked as though she had been through a laundry cycle with a bag of gravel. "I’m in pieces, but they appear to be the correct ones. My pride, however, is significantly dented. Did we just jump off a tower, or did we just jump out of reality?""I’m going to go with both," Corvus grunted, hauling her to her feet. "It’s a specialty of mine. I call it ‘strategic plummeting.’"She dusted off her cloak, her movemen

Chapter 9: Broken VowsThe resonance key felt like a living heart in Corvus’s palm—cold, heavy, and thrumming with a rhythmic, sickening vibration that seemed to match the very earth beneath them."Aeloria," Corvus gasped, his skin pale as he stumbled up from the stone floor. "Did you feel that? It wasn’t just a diary. That… that thing under the throne. It’s not just a person. It’s an entity. The Sect didn't just harvest the corruption, they’re keeping something big on life support."Aeloria stood, her eyes wide, her hand hovering near her blade as the vaulted ceiling began to shudder. Dust rained down from the ancient stonework. "A jailer’s cage," she whispered, her voice trembling. "My father, the Council… they aren't leaders. They’re glorified prison guards holding a leash on a god.""Great," Corvus muttered, clutching the key to his chest like a stolen sandwich. "And I bet the prison guard union has terrible benefits. We need to go. Like, yesterday."Suddenly, the shimmering, inco

Chapter 8: The Heist of the CenturyThe Carrion Market’s stench—a heady cocktail of rot, ozone, and cheap ale—clung to Corvus’s clothes like a persistent relative. He adjusted the stiff, high-collared tunic he’d liberated from a merchant’s stall, which was roughly three sizes too small and itchy enough to make him contemplate treason."You look like a butler who just realized he’s being sent to the guillotine," Aeloria remarked, her voice a low murmur. She was draped in a dark, hooded cloak that swallowed her silhouette, her eyes scanning the periphery with practiced, predatory calm."A butler? Please," Corvus whispered, tugging at a lace cuff that was already fraying. "I’m ‘low-level supply runner number forty-two.’ It’s a very prestigious role. I get to carry crates of questionable produce and get yelled at by people with better fashion sense.""You are carrying a basket of moldy tubers," she pointed out, her lips twitching with the ghost of a smile. "Try to look more servile and le

Chapter 7: Deeper Into the AbyssThe black mark on Corvus’s arm pulsed with a faint, rhythmic violet light, syncing perfectly with his heartbeat. He stared at it, the skin around the edges feeling like it had been dipped in ice water."You’re staring again," Aeloria murmured, her voice thick with sleep. She pushed herself up from the roots, her eyes drifting toward his arm. She looked drained, her silver hair clinging to her damp forehead, but her expression softened when she saw him."It’s hard not to stare, Aeloria. It looks like a Rorschach test designed by a sadist," Corvus said, flexing his fingers. The movement felt sluggish, like he was dragging his hand through invisible honey. "Does it look like it’s growing to you? Please tell me it’s not growing."Aeloria crawled over, her touch cool as she took his arm. Her fingers traced the outer edge of the mark, and she let out a sharp, ragged breath. "It’s not growing. It’s stabilizing. That, in itself, is terrifying.""Terrifying is

Chapter 6: The Hunter Becomes the HuntedThe figure in the canopy didn't wait for an invitation. With a movement as fluid as moonlight on water, they dropped from the branch, landing with a soft thud that barely disturbed the dew on the ferns. As they straightened, the shadow fell away, revealing a woman with hair like spun silver and eyes that carried the freezing, predatory chill of a winter glacier."Callista," Aeloria breathed, her hand tightening around the hilt of her blade until her knuckles turned white."Always the dramatic exit, Aeloria," Callista said, her voice a sharp, polished blade of sarcasm. She didn't look at Corvus; she looked through him, as if he were nothing more than a stubborn bit of dirt on a pristine floor. "And here I thought you’d be dead by now. Though, I suppose I should have guessed you’d find a scavenger to do your dirty work for you."Corvus stepped in front of Aeloria, his hands loose, though the static beneath his skin began to hum a discordant, angr

Chapter 5: A Meal to RememberThe map glowed with an eerie, rhythmic pulse, the red line snaking through the mountain’s guts like a challenge etched in light. Corvus traced the path with a grime-stained finger, his heart hammering against his ribs in a way that had nothing to do with the exertion of the fight."If this is accurate, we’re looking at a direct tunnel into the Sect’s underbelly," Corvus said, his voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial hum. He looked at Aeloria, who was studying the stone wall with an intensity that made his breath hitch. "You realize what this means, right? No guards. No gates. Just us and whatever ancient plumbing they forgot to lock up."Aeloria turned to him, the faint blue light of the chamber catching the sharp, elegant lines of her profile. She looked tired—a smudge of soot sat on her cheek—but her eyes were brighter than he had ever seen them. "It means we don't have to fight our way in. We can simply walk into their center and dismantle their aut