Kora's first taste of divine power feels like drowning in starlight. Her second makes her want to tear down the heavens themselves. Raised behind walls where roses bloom eternal and shadows dare not linger, she was meant to be the God of Light's perfect sacrifice. But when Aurelian comes to claim his creation, he discovers his holy vessel is already cracked-and something inside is waiting to break free. In the Lord of Nightmare's realm of endless night, Kora learns from Dartagnan that true power isn't holy-it's hungry, it's all-devouring, it sings in her bones. Each taste twists her into something that should not exist. A goddess unshackled. But there's a reason gods bind what they fear. A reason some doors are sealed with both light and shadow. And when Kora finally breaks free, she'll learn that some chains were keeping her safe-and some monsters were caged for a reason. Gods & Damsels is a standalone duet within the Twilight & Thorn series. It isn't necessary to read Monsters & Maidens first, but doing so will deepen the world and its tangled myths.