A Dark and Drowning Tide

by Allison Saft · 2024

Lorelei Kaskel, a sharp‑tongued folklorist with a fierce ambition to become a naturalist, joins a royal expedition to locate a legendary spring said to hold untold magical power. When their mentor, Professor Ziegler, is brutally murdered aboard the ship, the quest turns deadly. With five suspicious nobles and a looming coup, Lorelei must reluctantly partner with her longtime academic rival, the strikingly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff, whose innocence she trusts above all else. Together they navigate treacherous forests that shift at night, rivers guarded by sleeping dragons, and shapeshifting beasts, racing to uncover the killer, secure the spring, and survive the political storm. A lush, sapphic fantasy romance that blends witty world‑building, intrigue, and high‑stakes adventure.