The Girl Who Broke the Dark
by Evelyn Puerto
The Royal Mages Series, Book 1

***Winner of a Literary Titan Book Award***

Sometimes, breaking the curse is only the beginning…

Princess Eliana of Ymittos has long anticipated the day she gets to make the rules — and use her magic without fear of penalty. But until she ascends the throne, Eliana’s days are devoted to practicing diplomacy on inconsiderate guests and weighing the merits of her latest string of suitors.

Then, on her 18th birthday, Eliana’s parents reveal her true destiny: she alone must wake a sleeping prince from his hundred-year curse, deep in the monster-infested underworld of Malkh. Terrified, Eliana refuses. But the terms of the curse are clear: only the heir of Ymittos can break its spell. If she fails, the entire continent will be easy prey for the evil sorcerer Cetus.

Behind the Scenes

I’d been toying with the idea of a fairy tale retelling and settled on Sleeping Beauty. Right from the start I knew I’d turn the story on its head and have the princess be the one waking up the prince.

But I also knew I didn’t want to stop there. I heard of a another story where after the lifting of a curse two people ended up in a cat and mouse chase through an underground realm. That gave me the inspiration for the second half of The Girl Who Broke the Dark.

Many things go into worldbuilding.  Cultural influences, myths, legends, history and my own unbridled imagination. For more on how I created the nations of the continent of Ardebil, check out this blog post.