Smoke and Starlight: a Romantasy Novella

She was born to light… but the shadows have other plans. In a village that worships light and fears the dark, Selene Arkwright has spent her life pretending to belong. She mixes herbs in her father’s apothecary, steals hours with Owen in the forge, and hides the shadow magic burning beneath her skin.When a child disappears into the forest, Selene calls on her power—and what answers isn’t light. It’s darkness. The magic she’s long tried to conceal saves a life… and threatens to destroy her world.Now the whispers have started. Owen’s love turns to fear, and the girl who was meant to heal becomes the one everyone fears and envies.Then a letter arrives—black wax, gold script, a sigil of sun and moon entwined. The Academy of Dusk and Dawn has chosen her.With that seal, Selene’s life splits in two: the ordinary world she knows, and the magical academy adventure she was born for. Caught between light and shadow, forbidden love, and a coming-of-age story filled with secrets, whispers, and supernatural intrigue, Selene must decide if she will embrace the darkness—and the magic that could change everything.