Heartstring Duet — series

Creatures & Beings

Tropes & Themes

How it starts

In the city of Marrowbrae, ravaged by a deadly pestilence known as the rot, a young gravedigger named Elara is desperate to save her dying brother. A mysterious figure named Vale offers her a bargain: travel to the palace, seduce the reclusive, afflicted King Kael, and convince him to make her his queen so that he may sacrifice her to the cursed crown. The crown, as Vale explains it, is the object sustaining the rot; only a queen's sacrifice can break the plague's hold on the kingdom. Inside the palace, Elara finds that King Kael's court is held together by a network of suppressed truths, and she must contend with competing factions to gain influence over the king. ⚠️ Content Warning: This book contains depictions of graphic violence, sexual content, illness, death, murder, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and dubious consent.