Umbra of Ashes

Fourteen-year-old Lael, a phantom of the slums, lives by the shadows, her every ruthless act dedicated to protecting her younger brothers, Davirn and Havir. Their existence, a constant battle against starvation and the unforgiving city, shatters when Havir, in a moment of childish innocence, collides with Damon Ashford, a scion of the city's most powerful noble house. This seemingly minor incident spirals into a grave debt, threatening to rip her family apart. Desperate, Lael awakens the ancient, forbidden Umbra abilities, the power of pure shadow manipulation, to infiltrate Ashford's fortress. But the deeper she delves, the more she uncovers a conspiracy that ensnares not just her family, but the very foundation of their gilded society. Can a girl forged in darkness save her world from the shadows consuming it?