Flame of Shadow and Deception

Death waits in the shadows of deceit.
There is only one righteous entity to whom all worship in the kingdom of Tai'nna: the Goddess Althaea, the Bringer of Life and Courier of Death. Only those who have devoted themselves entirely to Her divine cause, are gifted with the ability to use magic. All other sources of magic are strictly forbidden, a crime against Her name, and death awaits all who claim otherwise. Elyrah is masking a deep secret behind her fire infused eyes and bandaged hand. Upon her palm she bares a mark of something torn from the pages of history, and in its mystery, it heeds a warning: do not show anyone. Fear of being discovered shadows her every movement, her every thought, as she painstakingly hides a part of herself that would bring death to her door; burning through her veins is a magic that was not gifted by Althaea.
A sudden chain of traumatic events shatter Elyrah's perspective on the world, leaving her questioning everything and forcing her to seek answers far from her home.
When Kaesen, a male shrouded in mystery, makes himself known to her, baring the same forbidden mark on his hand, Elyrah finds the coincidence hard to ignore. There is an air of unexplained power surrounding him and she finds herself drawn to it, drawn to him.
With promises to have the answers she seeks, Kaesen convinces Elyrah to travel with him to his homeland across the mountains. But Kaesen is all lies. Behind his cold eyes there is a darkness so deep it fills his veins with shadow and ice.
Death whispers in his shadows, in his manipulation and should Elyrah learn the truth behind his deceit, it will do more than break her.