The Shadows Between Us By Tricia Levenseller May 2026

The shadows in the Slytherin-esque court of the Shadow King didn't just flicker; they breathed. Alessandra Stathos stood at the edge of the ballroom, her gown a midnight silk that felt like armor. She didn't want the King’s heart because she loved him—she wanted it because he was the only thing standing between her and a crown of her own.

Should Alessandra face a or an assassin first?

A flicker of genuine surprise crossed his handsome, pale features. The shadows recoiled slightly, reacting to his internal shift. For a second, the barrier thinned. The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

"You're staring again," a voice like shifting gravel whispered near her ear.

"He touches nothing he doesn't intend to destroy," the guard replied. The shadows in the Slytherin-esque court of the

Alessandra didn't flinch. She turned to find the King's Master of Guard, a man whose eyes were as cold as the floorboards. "It’s hard not to stare at a man who wears darkness like a cloak. Tell me, does he ever actually touch the ground, or does the abyss carry him everywhere?"

That night, she didn't wait for an invitation. As the music swelled into a haunting cello melody, she stepped into his path. The shadows around him hissed, rising like cobras. Should Alessandra face a or an assassin first

The Shadow King, Kallias, moved through the crowd like a predator through tall grass. He was physically unreachable—swathed in a literal aura of shadows that kept everyone at a five-foot distance. To touch him was to die, or so the rumors claimed. To Alessandra, it was simply a puzzle to be solved.