Korrith, a city sculpted from obsidian and veiled in perpetual twilight, thrives on secrets. Within its shadowed alleys and opulent pleasure houses, enchanted masks are crafted-keys to Aethel, an ethereal realm where desires take form and the boundaries of reality blur. But this intoxicating dance with the subconscious comes at a price, fraying the edges of the self and leaving the wearer vulnerable to Korrith's insidious undercurrents of power.
Aila Cadence, a renowned maskmaker haunted by a tragic loss, understands Aethel's seductive allure all too well. She exists in self-imposed exile, her workshop a sanctuary against the whispers of the ethereal realm and the ghosts of her past. This fragile peace shatters when Kaith Thorne, a ruthless warlord driven by vengeance, commissions a mask unlike any she's ever created. He seeks not pleasure, but a hidden truth buried within Aethel, a truth that could ignite a revolution and shatter Korrith's corrupt core.
Creating Kaith's mask becomes a perilous journey, forcing Aila to confront her buried trauma and suppressed desires. His presence, both brutal and tender, chips away at her defenses, reawakening a vulnerability she thought long extinguished. As she delves deeper into his motivations, a dangerous secret emerges: his quest is intertwined with the legend of the Obsidian Mask, a mythical artifact whispered to grant dominion over Aethel itself.
Caught in a web of intrigue and ancient prophecy, Aila must navigate a treacherous landscape where masks are not mere adornments, but weapons in a power struggle that threatens to consume Korrith. Her connection with Kaith intensifies the pressure, a man whose past is inextricably linked to the city's tumultuous present. As whispers of rebellion spread and a clandestine sect known as the Whisperers of Aethel plot their own ascent, Aila uncovers a devastating truth: her sister's death was no accident, but a sacrifice, a key to unlocking a hidden pathway within the ethereal realm.
During Korrith's annual Festival of Masks, a night of revelry where reality and illusion blur, the revolution ignites. Aila, caught in the crossfire, must choose between her loyalty to Kaith and her desire to protect the city from the Whisperers' destructive intentions. In a final, heart-wrenching confrontation within the ethereal depths of Aethel, she faces a devastating truth that
