Plot Summary
Death in the Night
The story opens with the death of the Queen Consort, Vessa, a vampire, in the human kingdom of Sithistra. Her passing leaves her infant daughter, Given, motherless and vulnerable in a court that despises her mixed blood. Crown Prince Rolund, her half-brother, is tasked with protecting her, haunted by his mother's prejudice and the dying wish of Vessa: "Protect her. It's important." The baby Given, marked as a Child of Prophecy, bites Rolund, revealing her vampire nature. The kingdom mourns, but beneath the surface, old tensions between humans and vampires simmer, setting the stage for a life defined by division, suspicion, and the weight of destiny.
The Child of Prophecy
Given grows up in a world that never lets her forget her origins. Raised in the shadow of her mother's death and her father's controversial marriage, she is both princess and outcast. The Brotherhood, a powerful religious order, predicted her birth, branding her as a Child of Prophecy—a rare and ambiguous fate. Her nurse, Helen, warns her to hide her vampire traits, but Given's existence is a constant reminder of the fragile peace between Sithistra and the vampire kingdom, Nor Doru. Her half-brother Rolund, now king, is torn between duty and affection, while Given's very presence threatens the balance of power and faith.
Divided Bloodlines
As Given matures, she navigates the treacherous politics of a court that sees her as both asset and abomination. Her human and vampire blood make her a symbol of uneasy alliance and a target for prejudice. The kingdom's faith demands balance—mind and heart, human and vampire—but in practice, Given is isolated. Her only solace comes from her niece Cathrin and her own curiosity about her mother's homeland. The looming Rift, a chasm separating the human and vampire realms, becomes a metaphor for Given's own divided self, foreshadowing the journey she must undertake to reconcile her dual heritage.
The Rift's Edge
Given accompanies King Rolund and his knights to the Rift for the annual exchange of blood thralls with Nor Doru. The journey is fraught with tension—political, familial, and personal. The Bleak Pass, the only crossing, is shadowed by the ancient, haunted Thicket and the ever-encroaching Deepnight, the perpetual twilight of the vampire realm. At the Pass, Given meets Lord Varick, the formidable vampire general, and is shocked when Rolund betrays her, offering her as a blood thrall to the vampires to secure peace. Her world shatters as she is forced across the Rift, leaving her old life—and trust—behind.
The Vampire General
Lord Varick, a warrior of legendary strength and rumored lover of the vampire king, is tasked with escorting Given to Nor Doru. Their relationship is immediately adversarial, charged with mutual suspicion and forbidden attraction. Varick is both protector and captor, testing Given's limits and forcing her to confront her vampire nature. In Nor Doru, Given is thrust into a world of sensuality, power, and danger, where her status as a royal thrall is both privilege and peril. Varick's own divided loyalties—to his king, his family, and his desires—mirror Given's struggle, binding their fates ever tighter.
The King's Bargain
King Laurent of Nor Doru is charismatic, enigmatic, and dangerous. He welcomes Given as both guest and pawn, his intentions veiled behind charm and ritual. The court is a place of blood rites, sensual feasts, and political intrigue. Laurent's relationship with Varick is passionate and fraught, their history marked by love, rivalry, and shared trauma. Given is drawn into their orbit, her presence igniting old tensions and new possibilities. As Laurent and Varick vie for control—of the court, the kingdom, and each other—Given must decide whether to resist or embrace the power she represents.
Bound by Blood
The annual feast of blood thralls becomes a spectacle of ritual and seduction. Given witnesses the binding of thralls with enchanted ribbons, the king's public feeding, and the court's decadent pleasures. She is both repulsed and aroused, her own hunger awakened by Laurent's attentions and Varick's provocations. The boundaries between duty and desire blur as Given is drawn into a dangerous game of obedience and rebellion. Blood becomes both sustenance and symbol—a currency of power, a mark of belonging, and a weapon of control.
The Feast of Ribbons
The feast exposes the true nature of Nor Doru's court: a place where pleasure and pain, dominance and submission, are inextricably linked. Given is claimed by Laurent in front of the court, her status as his protected thrall both shield and shackle. The rituals of blood and sex are not merely spectacle—they are the means by which power is asserted and alliances are forged. Given's own awakening—sexual, political, and magical—accelerates as she navigates the treacherous waters of Laurent's favor and Varick's scrutiny.
Betrayal and Exile
Given's position becomes increasingly precarious as secrets and betrayals come to light. Rolund's true motives are revealed—her exile was a calculated sacrifice to secure Sithistra's survival. In Nor Doru, Given is caught between Laurent's manipulations and Varick's suspicions. The court is rife with spies, and The Brotherhood's influence extends even into the vampire realm. Given's own powers begin to manifest, drawing the attention of those who would use her for their own ends. The lines between friend and foe, lover and enemy, blur as the stakes rise.
The Deepnight Creeps
The Deepnight, once Nor Doru's greatest protection, begins to fail. Laurent confides in Varick that he can no longer control the magical twilight that shields his people from the sun. The threat of destruction looms, and the need for a solution becomes desperate. Prophecy, blood magic, and ancient enmities converge as Laurent seeks to secure his kingdom's future—by any means necessary. Given's role in the unfolding crisis becomes central, her blood and her choices the key to salvation or ruin.
Secrets of the Thicket
The haunted Thicket, boundary of the dead elven kingdom Eldenvalla, is more than a barrier—it is a prison for ancient evils and a source of forbidden power. Varick, himself descended from elven blood, senses the stirring of old magic and the approach of a threat greater than any human or vampire. Given's own elven heritage is revealed, her abilities marking her as both weapon and target. The Thicket's secrets, long buried, begin to surface, drawing all three protagonists into a web of fate that spans centuries.
The Elven Legacy
Given and Varick discover their shared elven ancestry, unlocking powers of farseeing, mind-speech, and magical command. The truth of the elven survivors—noble families who intermarried with vampires to hide their blood—reshapes their understanding of themselves and their destinies. The Brotherhood's ancient fear of elven magic is revealed, and the prophecy that marked Given's birth takes on new, ominous meaning. The past and present collide as the legacy of Eldenvalla threatens to consume them all.
The King's Confession
Laurent, burdened by the weight of kingship and the failing Deepnight, confesses his fears and his love to Varick. Their relationship, forged in trauma and passion, is tested by secrets, jealousy, and the demands of prophecy. Given, now queen, is caught between her loyalty to Laurent, her growing bond with Varick, and her own desire for agency. The three are bound together by love, lust, and the looming threat of destruction. Each must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the kingdom—and for each other.
The Queen's Choice
Given weds Laurent in a lavish, ritual-laden ceremony, cementing her place as queen and as the linchpin of the prophecy. The marriage is both political alliance and personal awakening, as Given embraces her power, her sexuality, and her role in the fate of Nor Doru. The triad of Laurent, Varick, and Given becomes both a source of strength and a point of vulnerability, their love and rivalry fueling the drama at the heart of the kingdom's crisis.
The Prophecy Unveiled
The true nature of the prophecy is revealed: Given and Varick, both elven-born, are destined to conceive a child whose sacrifice in the Rift will save the Deepnight and the realm. The revelation shatters the fragile trust between the three, as Laurent's willingness to sacrifice their child for the greater good is exposed. Betrayal, grief, and desperation drive them apart, even as the forces of prophecy and magic close in. The personal becomes political, and the fate of the kingdom hangs on the choices of three broken hearts.
Lovers and Monsters
The love triangle at the heart of the story reaches its breaking point. Laurent, Varick, and Given are torn between love and duty, passion and betrayal. Their sexual and emotional entanglements mirror the larger conflicts of the realm—human and vampire, mind and heart, tradition and change. The monsters within and without are revealed, and the cost of power becomes painfully clear. Each must confront the darkness in themselves and decide what kind of monster they are willing to become.
The Solstone Dagger
A solstone dagger—deadly to vampires—appears in Given's possession, the result of a plot by Sithistra and The Brotherhood. The weapon's discovery leads to accusations, imprisonment, and the unraveling of trust. Given's farseeing reveals her brother's complicity and The Brotherhood's true intentions: to destroy the elven-born and prevent the prophecy's fulfillment. The dagger becomes a symbol of the impossible choices facing the protagonists—love or duty, sacrifice or survival.
The Dungeon and the Escape
Given is thrown into the dungeon, accused of treason and conspiracy. Varick, torn between loyalty to Laurent and love for Given, orchestrates her escape. Together, they flee into the night, pursued by Laurent and his knights. The flight takes them to the edge of the Thicket, where ancient magic and prophecy converge. The bonds of love, trust, and destiny are tested as the three are forced to confront the truth of their intertwined fates.
The Thicket's Shadows
In the haunted depths of the Thicket, the boundaries between worlds blur. Laurent's blood magic, Varick's elven power, and Given's farseeing collide, unleashing forces beyond their control. Elven riders—survivors of Eldenvalla—emerge from the shadows, their intentions unknown and their power overwhelming. The prophecy's true meaning becomes clear: the past is not dead, and the future will be shaped by those willing to face the darkness within and without.
The Elven Riders
The elven riders, long thought extinct, reveal themselves as the true inheritors of Eldenvalla's legacy. Their arrival upends the balance of power, threatening both Nor Doru and Sithistra. Given, Varick, and Laurent are caught in a storm of magic, prophecy, and ancient vendetta. The choices they make in the heart of the Thicket will determine not only their own fates, but the fate of the entire continent.
The Mage of Wesyfedd
In the chaos, Given is rescued by Rhys the Fair, the mage-king of Wesyfedd, whose people have long watched the borders of the Thicket. The mages, once exiled by The Brotherhood, hold the key to understanding the prophecy and the magic that binds the realms. As Given flees into the unknown, the possibility of new alliances—and new hope—emerges. The story ends on the brink of transformation, with the promise that the Rift will be reborn, and with it, the world.
Characters
Given of Sithistra
Given is the daughter of a human king and a vampire queen, marked from birth as a Child of Prophecy. Her life is defined by division—between human and vampire, mind and heart, duty and desire. Raised in a court that fears and despises her, she learns to hide her true nature, but her curiosity and longing for belonging drive her to the edge of the Rift and beyond. Given's journey is one of self-discovery, awakening to her power, sexuality, and the burdens of prophecy. Her relationships with Rolund, Laurent, and Varick are fraught with love, betrayal, and impossible choices. As queen, she must decide whether to embrace her destiny or defy it, knowing that the fate of two kingdoms—and the legacy of the elves—rests on her shoulders.
Laurent, King of Nor Doru
Laurent is the enigmatic and seductive ruler of the vampire kingdom. Gifted with powerful blood magic and haunted by the legacy of his mad father, he is both priest and king, lover and monster. His relationship with Varick is the anchor of his life, forged in trauma and passion, but threatened by secrets, jealousy, and the demands of prophecy. Laurent's charm masks a ruthless pragmatism—he is willing to sacrifice anything, even love, to save his people. His seduction of Given is both genuine and strategic, as he seeks to fulfill the prophecy and secure the future of Nor Doru. Ultimately, Laurent is a tragic figure, caught between the weight of the crown and the longing for connection.
Varick of Lar Keiren
Varick is the formidable general of Nor Doru's army, descended from both vampires and the last elves of Eldenvalla. His strength and loyalty are legendary, but he is haunted by the abuse of his father and the burden of forbidden magic. Varick's love for Laurent is deep and complicated, marked by devotion, rivalry, and shared pain. His relationship with Given is equally fraught—he is drawn to her power and vulnerability, even as he fears what their union might unleash. Varick is a man divided, struggling to reconcile his monstrous heritage with his desire to protect those he loves. His journey is one of acceptance, sacrifice, and the search for redemption.
Rolund, King of Sithistra
Rolund is Given's half-brother and the ruler of Sithistra. Torn between duty to his kingdom and affection for his sister, he ultimately sacrifices Given to secure peace with Nor Doru. His actions are driven by desperation—the encroaching Deepnight threatens his people, and The Brotherhood's prophecies weigh heavily on his decisions. Rolund's betrayal is both political and personal, leaving him isolated and haunted by guilt. He is a tragic figure, emblematic of the costs of power and the impossibility of balancing love and duty.
The Brotherhood (Crasor, Jordan, others)
The Brotherhood is the dominant religious and political force in Sithistra, wielding prophecy and dogma to shape the destiny of the realm. Crasor, the Prelate, is a master manipulator, orchestrating Given's exile and the plot to destroy the elven-born. Jordan, a former brother and secret mage, becomes an unexpected ally, revealing the hidden history of magic and the true nature of the prophecy. The Brotherhood's fear of elven magic and their willingness to sacrifice individuals for the greater good make them both antagonists and tragic victims of their own dogma.
Petru, High Priest of the Sanctum
Petru is the high priest of Nor Doru's temple, a master of blood rites and ancient magic. He is both mentor and manipulator, guiding Laurent through the rituals that sustain the Deepnight and the kingdom. Petru's loyalty is to the old ways, and his willingness to interpret prophecy and wield blood magic makes him a powerful but dangerous figure. He embodies the tension between tradition and change, faith and pragmatism.
Evelina of Lar Keiren
Evelina is Varick's younger sister, a scandalous and headstrong noblewoman whose fate is shaped by the machinations of men. Her betrothal and marriage are tools of alliance, but her defiance and vulnerability reveal the costs of a world where women are currency. Evelina's relationship with Varick is strained by secrets and trauma, but her survival is a testament to resilience in the face of power.
Rowena of Lar Kessa
Rowena is a human married to a vampire, straddling the line between two worlds. Her role as a spy for Sithistra, delivering the solstone dagger to Given, is driven by fear for her husband and the pressures of divided loyalty. Rowena's actions set in motion the final crisis, her voice in Given's mind a haunting reminder of the personal costs of political intrigue.
Rhys the Fair, Mage-King of Wesyfedd
Rhys is the enigmatic ruler of Wesyfedd, a land of mages exiled by The Brotherhood. His timely rescue of Given in the Thicket introduces a new force into the struggle—a people who understand the true nature of magic and prophecy. Rhys represents the possibility of new alliances and the hope that the cycle of sacrifice and betrayal can be broken.
The Elven Riders
The elven riders, long thought extinct, emerge from the Thicket as the true inheritors of Eldenvalla's legacy. Their beauty, power, and otherworldliness upend the balance of power, forcing the protagonists to confront the past and the true meaning of the prophecy. They are both threat and opportunity, the embodiment of the world's forgotten magic.
Plot Devices
Prophecy and Blood Magic
The narrative is structured around the twin engines of prophecy and blood magic. The Brotherhood's predictions and the lost prophecy of Given's birth set the plot in motion, shaping the choices of kings and the destinies of nations. Blood magic—rituals, bindings, and commands—serves as both a literal and metaphorical means of control, binding characters to each other and to fate. The use of power words, enchanted objects (like the solstone dagger), and ritualized sex and feeding blur the lines between consent and coercion, love and domination. Foreshadowing is woven throughout, with the Thicket, the Deepnight, and the recurring motif of mirrors and reflections hinting at hidden truths and the cyclical nature of history.
Love Triangle and Power Dynamics
The central love triangle between Given, Laurent, and Varick is both emotional and political, mirroring the larger conflicts of the realm. Their relationships are marked by shifting power dynamics—dominance, submission, jealousy, and trust. The interplay of sex, love, and betrayal is used to explore themes of agency, sacrifice, and the cost of power. The triad's evolving bond is both a source of strength and a point of vulnerability, driving the narrative's emotional arc.
Duality and Division
The motif of division—human and vampire, mind and heart, past and present, love and duty—permeates the story. The Rift, the Thicket, and the Deepnight are physical manifestations of the characters' internal struggles. The narrative structure alternates perspectives, allowing readers to experience the story's events through multiple lenses. This duality is reinforced by the use of mirrors, twins, and paired rituals, emphasizing the difficulty—and necessity—of reconciliation.
Ancient Magic and Forgotten History
The legacy of Eldenvalla and the hidden survival of the elven-born drive the plot's deeper mysteries. The resurgence of ancient magic, the awakening of the Thicket, and the return of the elven riders signal a world on the brink of transformation. The use of farseeing, mind-speech, and magical command blurs the boundaries between the mundane and the supernatural, forcing characters to confront the limits of their knowledge and the dangers of forgotten power.
Betrayal, Sacrifice, and Redemption
Betrayal—personal, political, and prophetic—is a constant threat. Characters are forced to choose between love and duty, self and kingdom, survival and sacrifice. The prophecy's demand for a child's death is the ultimate test, forcing each character to confront what they are willing to give—and lose—for the greater good. Redemption is possible, but only through the willingness to face the darkness within and without.
Analysis
Given is a lush, dark fantasy that uses the trappings of court intrigue, forbidden romance, and supernatural politics to explore the costs of power, the pain of division, and the possibility of reconciliation. At its heart, the novel is about the struggle to claim agency in a world that seeks to define and control you—whether through prophecy, blood, or love. The love triangle between Given, Laurent, and Varick is not just a source of erotic tension, but a microcosm of the larger conflicts between human and vampire, tradition and change, self and other. The use of prophecy and blood magic as plot devices interrogates the ways in which destiny can be both a prison and a path to freedom. The novel's modern resonance lies in its refusal to offer easy answers: every choice comes with a cost, and every act of love or sacrifice is shadowed by the possibility of betrayal. In a world where the past is never truly dead and the future is always uncertain, Given asks what it means to be whole—and whether wholeness is possible in a world built on division. The ultimate lesson is that survival requires not just strength, but the courage to face the darkness within, to forgive, and to choose one's own fate, even when the world demands otherwise.
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