The Twilight Child: A Daughter of Earth and Stars

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Eighteen-year-old Cassandra is dead. At least, that is what she needs the world to believe.

After Cassandra’s mother is murdered by her stepfather, who has been infected by a corrupting force known as the Nightwraiths, Cassandra flees into the wilderness. To survive her stepfather's manic prejudice of the "mongrel" half-bloods, she hacks off her silver hair, binds her chest, and buries her name. Now she is Cassius, a stable boy at the Silver Griffin Inn. Her only goal is invisibility. Her only comfort is Thomas, the stable hand who offers her a fragile, grounding love in a world that wants her dead.

But invisibility is impossible when you are a rare magical conduit with no internal safety switch. Every time Cassandra loses control, the magic demands a tithe of flesh and blood, threatening to consume her body from the inside out.

Across the Veil, Elven Prince Brandir barely survives a Nightwraith attack during a royal engagement. He crosses into the human realm on a desperate mission to find allies for a war no one else believes is coming. Secretly, he is hunting for the exiled Princess Faela, the last of the Silverleaf line and the only one who can save them all. He finds only a grave. Devastated and believing the royal line has ended, Brandir prepares for a suicidal stand against the Nightwraiths, completely unaware that the child of the woman he mourns is alive.

As the Nightwraiths breach the Inn’s defenses, Cassandra realizes her disguise is no longer enough to protect Thomas and the people she has come to love. She must make an impossible choice: stay hidden and watch them die, or reveal her true nature to the Order of Terra—trading her freedom for the training she needs to become a weapon.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: Veronica d'Luca

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 33
Views: 17,601

Reviews

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Community Reviews(6)

EricTeeplesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm looking forward to what happens next and can't wait for the release of these long chapters that feel more like complete episodes!
Character development is coming along smoothly. Describing are vivid and engaging.
The world building and dialog is very interesting so far. I can see how the story is developing!
flynnrider_1978Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Twilight Child" is captivating! It follows Cassandra, who after her mother's death reveals her hidden elven heritage. Forced to flee her home, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, navigating the complexities of a world divided by prejudice and threatened by an ancient evil.
The narrative is a masterful tapestry of interwoven plot threads, political intrigue, and richly developed characters. Cassandra's growth from a sheltered village girl to a powerful warrior is both believable and inspiring. The secondary characters add depth and complexity to the story.
The world-building is immersive and evocative, drawing readers into a realm of magic and mythology.
The descriptions are vivid, the action sequences thrilling, and the emotional depth intense. The pacing is excellent!
The dialogue is sharp and witty, with lots of banter between the characters while maintaining intensity. The romantic tension adds another layer of intrigue.
Overall, "The Twilight Child" is well written and I can’t wait for the next installment!
y-vetRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I was blown away by these chapters! From the very first page, I was hooked on the characters, the world and the story/plot
it was a unique world that I didn’t want to leave. The characters are so relatable.
It had great ratio of action humor and heart. I’ve been at the edge of my seat for the release of the next chapters
CinnaCinnaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
This is a surprisingly good read im glad my friend recommended it and i was hesitant cause the AI but then realize it was just ai assisted not ai created and that makes a big difference to me anyway these characters are fun to read about and the setting is pretty cool same with the concept of human magic and fae magic but i love anything fae im following this for more
DoctorHugoRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Just getting started but the characters have many layers and are definitely three dimensional, with friendships and suspicions and connections.
The story has also got underway already, as a village starts to split and accept disease.
The description of the various places - the village square, the well, the wood, the bar - are all lovingly colourful and fresh. Excellent writing
yahnreeRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
The story started with an inciting incident where the protagonist, Cassandra, is forced to step out of her comfort zone and run for survival. At first I thought it was a heavy for the beginning, but eventually I realized that it makes sense that it started that way because seeing the conflict is the catch.
I like that Cassandra is the kind of character who gives the "pain makes me stronger" vibe. Things weren't easy, but I saw that she's doing her best to overcome things. That shows her character's growth, which matters a lot because I prefer characters who chooses to go on instead of focusing on the frustrations that pulls down the character into the drain. Cassandra isn't like that, which is great. In the first few chapters, the author managed to show that Cassandra is strong, but at the same time has a vulnerable side whenever she remembers the bitter memories about her mother.
I didn't see anything major in grammar, but the flashbacks of memory is a bit repetitive, though it doesn't necessarily disturbs the reading experience. Cassandra looking back on things is understandable, considering that we, in real life, looks back to our past from time to time. I also want to acknowledge how detailed the descriptions are. I find that fascinating because it brings the reader into the story.