OF VENOM AND VENGEANCE

Unlikely lovers face deadly trials.

Blue-eyed Inna Pallo, who dyes her auburn hair blond, is the new heir to the Pallo empire. She’s determined to investigate her sister’s death while training to take over the family business, the illustrious Horizon Club. The club’s allure is based on sprites—insectlike creatures whose magic makes people feel euphoric. The Pallos market the sprites as “harmless, floating baubles,” concealing their murderous potential, which they’re trying to keep hidden at all costs. Rylan, who has “shaggy blond hair, pale skin and green eyes,” is an orphan with cause to seek vengeance against the Pallos. He seeks the legendary hibernating Serpent God, who’s rumored to grant a wish to whoever finds and awakens him. But to do so he needs a journal that he suspects is hidden within the heavily guarded Pallo Vault. Rylan’s break-in attempt leads him to cross paths with Inna, who wants to find answers to her sister’s death, and they work together on a heist that sends them on the run—and into each other’s arms. Despite Inna’s unearned trust in Rylan, their slow-burn romance satisfies. Both embark on the quest of a lifetime, shedding their old skins and making surprising choices that transform them by the end. This stand-alone work following Bridge’s debut, Of Flame and Fury (2025), returns readers to the Republic of Salta and introduces new creatures and mythology.

Dual heroes’ journeys filled with magic and high-stakes romance.