Cover Reveal and First Scene
Today is a special day — I get to officially reveal the cover of Wings of Shadow and Prophecy, the first book in my brand-new Shadow Wing Quest Trilogy. This story has been quietly taking shape behind the scenes for a year, and I’m thrilled to share the first glimpse of the world you’ll soon be stepping into.
This trilogy marks a new direction for my fantasy writing: a coming-of-age epic filled with magic, danger, political tension, shape-shifting, and a mysterious rupture in time itself. No romance arcs here — just a fierce young heroine fighting to claim her own destiny in a world determined to shape her future for her.
And now… here it is. The official cover for Wings of Shadow and Prophecy.
Iona’s story begins with conflict, frustration, and a spark of rebellion — the moment she realises she can no longer remain the girl everyone expects her to be. Her magic is growing, her world is shifting, and the wings that invade her consciousness are about to change everything.
To celebrate the reveal, I’m sharing the opening scene of the book — the moment that sets her journey in motion.
Princess Iona Zialni swung the staff at her opponent’s head, determined to bring the fight to an end quickly. Her shoulders and forearms burned with fatigue, but she would not walk away the loser today. Unfortunately, this opponent was one of the best, and she had yet to beat him. He ducked below her weapon and knocked her feet out from under her in one fluid motion. Iona landed on her back, the breath whooshing from her body.
“You alright?” Vard Anton asked, staring down at her, his sea-green eyes concerned. He barely puffed, damn the man, while she gasped like a fish on land. As if she could answer his question right now! Iona rolled onto her side and got her hands under her body. Finally, some air returned to her chest. “I’m fine.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw him offer his hand. She ignored it and rose without assistance.
Power surged through her muscles as she called on the bear, gripping the beast by the scruff a heartbeat before it could break loose. It had been waiting, crouched behind the gates of her mind, ready to hurl itself into her skin. Strength flooded her limbs, burning away fatigue, but something else rose with it: a hungry, reckless urge to dominate.
She squared up to Vard, refusing to meet his eyes in case he saw the gold bleeding into her own. This time her attack was brutal, her staff a blur as she drove him backward. The bear exulted, roaring approval inside her skull. She forced down the guilt clawing at her, telling herself there was no harm in using just a little of the beast. She’d win. She must win.
But Vard met every strike, and then whirled away, clearly preparing his counterattack. Panic—hers or the bear’s—spiked. Iona reached deeper, dragging more of the beast into her body. Heat rippled beneath her skin. Her nails bit into the wood of her staff, vision narrowing to Vard’s throat.
She launched a flurry of five vicious blows. The last swept his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard—and she was already moving, staff angled for his windpipe.
He rolled. Her strike slammed into the dirt where his neck had been.
Shock tore through her. She hadn’t meant to aim there. She hadn’t thought at all.
Three of Vard’s guards vaulted between them, weapons raised, ready to die if she lost control.
“You forget yourself, Princess,” Vortek Cruzen said. His gold-flecked gray eyes dared her to take one more step. The bear snarled at the challenge, determined to tear through anything in its way.
Iona’s pulse thundered. Her flesh felt too tight for her skin. She stepped forward.
Vard shoved Vortek aside. “Iona!” he snapped. “Let it go.”
That voice—the one that had trained, encouraged, and commanded her—cut through the haze. His gold-dusted green eyes locked on hers, and the bear recoiled as if struck.
The retreat was slow, painful. Her breath shuddered, knees buckling as the staff slipped from her fingers. She barely felt the guards withdraw; the world narrowed to her father’s fear and her own horror.
Vard’s hand gripped her shoulder. “Stand, Iona.”
The urge to challenge him flared, the echo of the bear sickening her.
“Iona!”
She forced down the roar clawing at her throat and pushed herself upright, legs trembling. When she finally met his gaze, the storm in his eyes hit her like a blow—not just disappointment. Fear—of her?
Her vision swam and the ground seemed to tilt sharply. She shuffled her feet, trying to find balance, but her legs refused to cooperate. Vard caught her elbow before she could sway again. The warmth and steadiness of his grip cut through the spinning in her head like an anchor.
“What was that?” he asked. “You know the practice yard is no place for the shift.”
She clung to his grounding touch and dragged in a breath, trying to calm the frantic thrum under her skin. The last vestiges of the bear slinked away, leaving her hollow. “Sorry, Father. I wanted to win. I thought I could harness just enough of the bear to let me do that.”
Even as she said it, the truth twisted in her gut. She had nearly crushed his throat. She had wanted to.
He shook his head. “You’re a Defender, Iona. Your life is dedicated to protecting the weak and the persecuted. Do not use that gift to win a meaningless fight.”
Shame coursed through her. What had she been thinking? She would’ve killed him if he’d been a split second slower; if his guard hadn’t stepped in.
“I know, Father. I’ll do better.”
“I can’t overlook this, Iona. Though you’re eighteen now and a woman grown, there must be consequences for losing control. I’ll decide on an appropriate punishment. For now, you may go to your room and prepare for dinner.”
“Yes, Father.” Iona picked up her practice staff and returned it to the rack, then left the yard.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more about Wings of Shadow and Prophecy.
If you’d like early access to the book, you can join my ARC team and read Wings of Shadow and Prophecy before release day. Just let me know by using my contact form and I’ll send you the details.
Thank you for being here for this reveal. I can’t wait for you to meet Iona and step into her adventure.