Vow of Ashes

by Dalglish, David · 2026

Aena is dying. As a Pleiade-a creature whose flesh can heal those who consume it-she spent her youth a prisoner to the royal court, offering blood and healing to both king and country. Upon release, she retired to the quiet countryside with her human husband, Michael. The cost of her service, however, has finally come, draining away her life and luster. Aena will not go quietly into the hereafter. She knows the fate awaiting all Pleiades, of the covetous nature of the Royal Court, and those who would seek healing magic from her blood and bones even after death. She demands a vow from her husband, Michael: he will flee with her through the Farwoods to the White Cliffs beyond, so that in death he may give her to the sea where none may touch her. The journey will be harsh. The Court is watching. Friends reveal themselves as spies, soldiers give chase, and even the aging king seeks a desecration of his lost Pleiade. Despite Michael’s grief and Aena’s failing health, they have but one choice if they are to preserve her honor and dignity. They will bring her to the sea…either alive, or in ashes. VOW OF ASHES is a story of love, responsibility, and the grief of letting go