The Blade that Binds Us

by Leah Thomas, Kali Wallace

Genres: YA Dark Fantasy

Synopsis

From beloved authors Leah Thomas and Kali Wallace comes a sweeping dark queer YA romantasy, inspired by Icelandic folklore, about a witch and shepherd boy who find love in the darkest of places.

Hrafn has seen too much.
He welcomes death as the flames lick at the staves carved into his skin.
Until a stranger pulls him out.

Siggi has never left his village.
He longs to go in search of his missing brother.
Perhaps that's why he pulls the witch boy from the fire.

Bound by a blade of bone and indebted to the village boy, Hrafn agrees to use his powerful magic to help the oaf who saved him from the pyre. Across (and sometimes under) a rugged and unforgiving landscape, the unlikely pair will travel in search of answers, crossing paths with druids, darkwolves, and the dreaded Huldu.

But when the deceptions of the past are peeled away, Siggi and Hrafn will come face to face with their true natures.

When the cost of magic is pain and family ties run bone deep, can an unlikely love blossom in a dark and dangerous world?

"...readers drawn to folklore-laced fantasy and hard-won romance with sharp banter will find much to savor here. A dark, haunting fantasy in which magic binds hearts as tightly as it binds fates."

- Kirkus Reviews

"A swoon-worthy romance-fueled by dangerous magic and set against an eerie and evocative landscape-makes this a wild and heart-pounding adventure you'll never forget."

- Caleb Roehrig, author of Teach the Torches to Burn

"A dark, bewitching tale of love, loss, and healing. Wallace and Thomas weave together rich folklore, skin-crawling horror, and tender moments in this beautiful tapestry of a book."

- Kelsea Yu, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of Bound Feet and Demon Song

“A perfect fantasy for the dark at heart and an achingly beautiful queer romance that cuts to the bone (quite literally). A must read!”

- Kit Vincent, author of Love Eternal and Us Et Cetera

"The Blade That Binds Us is a captivating and dark fantasy unlike anything I've ever read. Thomas and Wallace deftly wove a haunting story of blood and bone with a bittersweet romance that will linger in my memory for years to come."

- Audrey Coulthurst author of Of Fire and Stars

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Release date: August 19, 2025

Publisher: Tiny Ghost Press

Print pages: 380