Of Flesh and Fable

The Darkling Series, Book 1

By: Emily M Syn

Narrated by: Danni Deguire

"The high fantasy sapphics have been yearning for for decades."

"Syn took a very popular genre and made it her own. The intrigue and plot twists were so well executed and unexpected, I loved every second."

A cursed hunter and her captive, both ensnared by the grips of fate and immortal power...

Elowen was born with a blood debt hanging over her head, one the Shade Lord will collect upon her twenty-first year. Unwilling to succumb to a fate of having the life siphoned out of her in order to extend the shade’s, she flees the mortal settlement and makes for the Fae Realm of Aetherya with a single dagger in hand.

Leijla is bound to the Fae Queen by a terrible curse, which forces her to do unspeakable things in accordance with The Queen’s will. Her latest assignment: to hunt down the fugitive Elowen Lockwood. But when Leijla takes Elowen captive, The Compulsion goes inexplicably silent, and she’s forced to choose between delivering Elowen to her doom, or risk the promise of freedom and ever seeing her homeland again.

In an unexpected turn of events, a deep and primal connection forms between huntress and captive. As their relationship evolves, Elowen and Leijla must navigate Fae, meddling gods, fell beasts, and Leijla’s mysterious past–which may very well be the key to undoing the dark plot to enslave all of humanity.

©2025 Emily M Syn (P)2026 Emily M Syn

captive lesbian turns lover

Love a captive to lovers book, and this one with lesbians is good. Kept my interest and wanting the sequel.

Great plot with interesting lore

Love how the plot unfolds, kept me hooked for every reveal and the reveals didn't disappoint. Looking forward to the next book. That said, the rigid cadence of the narration was distracting.. is it really good AI or a really stylized reading? After six hours I still don't know.