Whispers of the Verdant Labyrinth

About this book

In the colossal, sentient metropolis of Sylvandar, the city itself is built from the Heartgrove—ancient, bioluminescent vines that whisper secrets and prophecies into the minds of the inhabitants. To listen too long is to court the Whisperplague, a madness that twists emotions into predation. Elowen "Wren" Lirath, a nineteen-year-old half-sylph with storm-gray skin and iridescent veins, serves the Order of Pruners. Sworn to emotional detachment, she wields silver shears to silence corrupt vines, though she secretly harbors a vendetta against the High Pruner who destroyed her family. Her rigid world is upended by Thorne Blackroot, a rogue amplifier and exile who tattoos vine-essence into his skin to channel chaotic power. Thorne sees Wren not as a tool of suppression, but as a harmonizer capable of reshaping the city. When a prophecy links their fates, Wren is forced to hunt him, only to find herself ensnared in a forbidden alliance. Together, they uncover a conspiracy where the city's leaders are weaponizing the plague they claim to cure. As the Heartgrove threatens a catastrophic Surge of madness, Wren must choose between the safety of her vows and the dangerous, seductive liberation Thorne offers, knowing that saving her city might require breaking her own soul.