Shadowborn

Madeleine Brigantia never expected to study magic—much less at  one of the most prestigious academies in the world. Ys is everything she dreamed of: ancient, powerful, full of secrets.

And it turns out Maddie has secrets of her own.

She can't find her magic. The teachers watch her too closely. And a stranger in the shadows offers answers… but only if she’ll trust him first.

Alongside her new friends—arrogant but loyal Gaius, and brilliant, curious Cleopatra—Maddie is drawn into mysteries that reach far beyond school walls. Something is stirring beneath Ys.

And it’s looking straight at her.

What to Expect

A character-driven fantasy adventure

* A shy, determined heroine finding her place

* A noble boy with too much pride and too much heart

* A brilliant girl who sees everything

* Friendships that grow, strain, break, and heal

Magic academy with actual academics

* Classes, lectures, tests

* Natural science, philosophy, astronomy, spellcraft

* Students who argue, study, complain, and bond

* Teachers with big personalities (some kind, some not)

A rich, atmospheric world

* A magical island city with ancient engineering

* Celtic, Roman, and Alexandrian cultural fusion

* Massive seawalls, ceremonial towers, druidic rituals

* Forest paths, temples, harbors, fog, storms

Slow-burn mysteries

* Forbidden places

* A mysterious stranger who knows too much

* A heroine whose magic refuses to behave

Action when it matters

* Training scenes

* Real danger

* Escalating stakes

* Confrontations with consequences

Politics at kid-height

* Families with agendas

* Factions inside the school

* Enemies who pretend to be friends

* Friends who disagree

* A protagonist caught between powers older than she is

Soft emotional core

* Found family

* Loyalty, betrayal, forgiveness

* Characters who care

A tone that blends wonder with shadows

* Not grimdark

* Not light-and-fluffy

* A world where danger exists but so does hope

* Characters who can fail and grow, sometimes at the same time