A shrine maiden blessed by the gods, Shen’s life is devoted to banishing the dark spirits and demons that plague the war-torn lands. A life she’s stolen from when the Anui abduct her. Forced to marry their barbarian lord and held captive in a hostile land, Shen must conceal her possession of an unearthly power. One her people have wielded against the Anui in their ruthless war, that will get her killed, or worse, if she’s discovered.

For Shen to survive, she must master a part of her that she cannot yet control, and cannot hide for long.

Kisho never intended to take a wife. Not when the war between Anu and Huli drags on without end, a blight born of unholy magic threatens all creation, and certainly not when he suffers a goddess’ curse. But he never expected to fall in love with Shen, whose spiritual power goes far beyond that of a Hulin shrine maiden. Try as she might, she cannot hide her true nature from Kisho, and he cannot hide her from those who seek to harm her.

To save his people, Kisho accepted a goddess’ curse. To save Shen, he must make a greater sacrifice.

Book 1 of the Shrine and Shadow series.

For ages war has smoldered between the Anui and Hulin peoples. Amidst the chaos, shrine maiden Shen finds herself wedded to a cursed foreign lord, Kisho, and must use her secret power to navigate enemy territory and her own inner struggles. But when a greater tragedy strikes, Shen and Kisho must unite to end the blights wreaking havoc on their war-torn lands. Set in a detailed Asian-inspired world, S. K. Ehra’s The Fox and The Dragon teems with high-stakes combat against formidable foes, yet serves an epic love story with richly developed characters.

Best for: Adult fans of high fantasy.

Discern: Mentions of plurality of “gods,” some adult romantic themes, divination, rituals, violence during fights, graphic descriptions of violence, a few curse words.