
ALT A grid of nine squares, described left to right by row: a pumpkin patch at dusk; a fox in a foggy wood; a graveyard covered in autumn leaves; a dilapidated church with a skeleton of some animal outside it; an orange full moon over trees; a railroad bridge over a river; a dark autumn forest; a person in a ghost costume in a field of tall dead grass; a jack-o'-lantern lit up in the dark.

ALT Pitch Ferne, a shadow-wielding spy, infiltrates the annual magical martial tournament to manipulate and marry one of the three powerful men. When she finds out that the tournament winner receives anything they want, she enters the competition to fight for her people’s survival. In doing so, Ferne falls in love with her loathsome, irritating tournament partner and endangers herself and everyone around her when the Duke grows suspicious of Ferne and stalks her every move.

ALT Themes and tropes Sarcastic FMC Morally grey FMC Ensemble cast Overcoming grief Trauma as a lingering ghost Supporting women's rights and wrongs Power or family? Angsty slow burn Forced proximity Obsessive love Secret identity Criticism of capitalism She saves him BETRAYAL Comps An Ember in the Ashes: FMC operating as spies in a hostile environment with political intrigue From Blood and Ash: Hidden magical identity and a FMC discovering her true power. Fourth Wing: Competition-based plot structure and battery enemies to lovers Red Queen: Magical hierarchy and political manipulation. These Violent Delights: Forbidden romance and complex family loyalties.






















































