Jennifer Poliwoda
In a kingdom where Light is law and Shadow is treason, truth becomes the most dangerous story of all.Sylvaine Nox has no magic, no divine favor, and no place in a society ruled by sacred flame. Yet when she’s invited to teach myth at Umbraxis Academy, the holy seat of power for the god of Light, she steps into a world cloaked in doctrine, where obedience is worship, questions are heresy, and history is written in fire.By day, she teaches Sacred Narratives. By night, she writes forbidden letters; seeking truth from the front lines, real updates from Light soldiers rather than the polished propaganda fed to the academy. But the replies she receives are not what she expected, and the soldier writing back may not serve the Light at all. What begins as a fragile connection soon becomes something far more dangerous: a lifeline, a mirror, a spark.As Sylvaine encourages her students to question the stories they’ve been told, they begin writing letters of their own: reflections, confessions, myths that don’t match the official script. Together, they begin to remember what was meant to be forgotten.Whispers stir through the halls. Shadows begin gathering at the edges of Light. Something ancient is waking, something that remembers the world before the Light declared itself the only truth.Haunted by a past she doesn’t fully understand and pulled into a quiet rebellion she never meant to start, Sylvaine must decide what kind of story she’s willing to tell. Because the Light protects, but only when obeyed. And the Shadow, long vilified, may be the only path to what was lost.In a kingdom built on myth, even a letter can be an act of revolution.Letters of Light & Shadow is a dark academic fantasy about memory, mythology, and the quiet power of connection in a world that punishes those who question. Perfect for readers who believe stories can both wound and heal, and that some truths burn brighter in the dark.
