In the Veins of the Drowning

DEBUT Imogen is the lifelong ward of cruel island king Nemea. She’s also secretly a siren, sacred to the old gods but whom Nemea hunts and kills to honor his new goddess. Her upcoming political marriage is interrupted when alluring neighboring king Theo arrives as part of the wedding party. Theo privately insists to Imogen that she deserves more, and when her siren wings are unexpectedly revealed, he offers her a way out. This entanglement dooms them to war with Nemea while they uncover secret magical bonds that may prove fatal to them both. This first in a series is a deliberately slow burn in both worldbuilding and romance. Binding Theo’s and Imogen’s magic just before Imogen first uses her powers creates a rich source of romantic and narrative tension, since she must learn his magic to find her own. Layered side characters, ongoing naturalistic political tensions, and the slow drip of historical information make the world seem fully lived-in.