Between darkness and light, there is truth.
A forbidden power. A shadow world. A dark lord who wants to possess her.
Seventeen-year-old Astrid has never spoken a word.
In a world where song is the only defense against an ancient darkness, her silence should mean death.
But when she sleeps, she enters the shadowwalk, a mystical realm where her voice finally breaks free. Where she can speak. Where she can sing.
The Shadow Lord has been hunting her across worlds, drawn by the power she doesn’t understand. Each time she uses her forbidden magic, she draws closer to the very evil her mother tried to protect her from.
But now he can hear her.
And knows exactly where to find her.
Will she fall into the Shadow or become the song she’s meant to be?
The LightKeepers is a short prequel to the ShadowLight Saga that offers a revealing glimpse into the history of the mysterious warrior maiden known as Swan, called Astrid in this prequel. It takes place a few moons before Bonded begins and is a self-contained novelette of approximately 10,000 words. Better. It’s completely free to read. A perfect way to sample the epic before you commit. There’s nothing stopping you from finding your next new obsessive fantasy series.
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There is a special bond among those known as Soul Warriors. Sal Drengrs. Warriors destined to fight against darkness, together as one.
As Chieftain’s son, Hallad Avarson will always stand apart from the others—a thought that agitates a dark place inside of him. He feels alone, always searching, longing, but for what, he doesn’t know. It’s as if his entire life he’s been living with an emptiness that Chieftainship will not fulfill. Is this all that the Norns, weavers of fate, have in store for him?
But then she appears…
A voice calls to Hallad from the Great Wood. His friends can’t hear her. And he’s been warned: Death follows in her wake.
When the mysterious warrior maiden arrives in Hallad’s village, his sister is kidnapped by the Shadow, an unfathomable dark lord. Now the villagers want the warrior woman to die for the crime. But an inexplicable connection to her tells Hallad he must protect her. That she, and only she, can help him rescue his sister. That she, and she alone, is the fate the Norns have woven for him.
Hallad and the warrior maiden manage to escape the vengeful villagers, but that’s only the beginning of his troubles. Ahead lies an unimaginable world of treachery and intrigue. Magics he never knew existed. Places he’s only heard of in legends. Friends who’ll turn against him. While his sister’s life hangs in the balance, can he trust a woman he knows nothing about? Will she become his Soul Warrior or the instrument of his demise?
Bonded is the first book in the International Bestselling ShadowLight Saga series, a richly imagined epic fantasy adventure that transports readers into a tale where inspiring young heroes and heroines discover their abilities and destinies interweave with the fate of a captivatingly original world inspired by Norse mythology.
Perfect for fans of The Wheel of Time, Sarah J. Maas, and N. K. Jemisin, this compelling series will lead you on a spellbinding journey.
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What happens when the bond that defines you becomes the weakness that destroys everything you love?
Astrid and Hallad were supposed to unite the divided worlds through their legendary bond—two heroes prophesied to renew the dying lands with their combined power. Instead, Astrid has been manipulated into severing their sacred connection, leaving her brother vulnerable and herself drowning in darkness.
But the Shadow has been playing a longer game.
He’s had thousands of years to place his spies. Manipulate leaders. Break alliances. Weave his influence into every corner of the realm.
He knows how to sever even the strongest bonds of love.
Now, with each passing day, Astrid feels the echoes of Hallad’s suffering through their broken bond while the dying lands cry out around them. With deception closing in from every side and time running out, Astrid must make an impossible choice:
Will Astrid surrender to the Shadow and save the brother she loves, or fight with powers that might destroy her humanity forever?
“Except for its length, the first two books remind me of Jordan’s huge collection. Many complex well-developed characters and plots within plots. Never a dull moment.” – Amazon Reviewer
Broken, Book Two of the ShadowLight Saga
“Matthews weaves a spellbinding tale of betrayal and redemption that will leave readers breathless.”
“A masterful continuation that proves the Shadowlight Saga belongs on every fantasy lover’s shelf alongside Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout. Matthews doesn’t just break her characters—she shatters them, then forges them into something magnificent. BROKEN delivers everything fans crave—forbidden magic, impossible romance, and characters so real you’ll feel their heartbreak in your bones. The intricate parallel-world system and song-based magic feel both ancient and utterly fresh.”
“While Astrid and Hallad’s bond takes center stage, Matthews weaves captivating subplots that enrich every page. Emma and Erik’s forbidden romance crackles with tension as they navigate class differences and dangerous magical abilities, while Rolf’s journey from comedic relief to hero in his own right provides both heart and humor. The diverse cast of shadowwalkers, songvari, and drengmaer warriors creates a world that feels vibrantly alive.”
Perfect for fans of epic fantasy romance, complex magic systems, and morally gray protagonists walking the razor’s edge between light and darkness.
Don’t miss this heart-wrenching second installment where every choice shatters something precious and love becomes the deadliest weapon of all.
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She was born of the Shadow. Now he will claim her.
When Loki’s Breath rolls over the land, the Shadow hunts. He feels those born with his dark touch, and he seeks them for his evil bidding.
Young Ginna never asked for his magic—or the cursed infant thrust into her arms.
Shadowborn like Ginna herself, the child is marked for death… or worse. But should a babe pay such a heavy price for the unfortunate circumstances of her birth? In one desperate moment, Ginna makes a choice that will damn them both:
Run.
With a runaway slave as her only ally, Ginna must keep the infant alive while dark magic stirs within them both, evade hunters who would sell them for silver, escape those who should protect them but choose betrayal instead.
But the greatest threat isn’t the bounty on their heads.
The Shadow himself has awakened. He he will stop at nothing to claim what he believes belongs to him. And with every desperate step Ginna takes, she draws his attention closer.
In a world where magic marks you for death and trust is a luxury she can’t afford, Ginna must decide: How far will she go to save an innocent? And what will she become in the process?
The Shadow is coming. There is nowhere left to hide.
Shadow Born, Book Three of the ShadowLight Saga
Shadow Born is a ShadowLight side adventure to the main story, but an important development in the Shadow’s story.
The adventure of Ginna Hummeldottir takes place a couple of weeks after Erik and Rolf leave Hummel’s farm in Bonded, book one.
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But Wait? Will there be a book four?
Absolutely! Stay tuned or sign up to be notified of Book 4’s release.
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May you lose track of time and find yourself in worlds of magic & wonder.
XO Mande Matthews