Scars of the Unbound
by Miranda Howman · September 2025
The Institute may be behind her, but its scars reach far beyond its walls.
As Thorn hunts Elora to reclaim his creation and Al'tera seeks to destroy the corruption poisoning its sacred trees, the journey to Kilfaire becomes a race against enemies who believe her fate is already decided.
She needs help.
Her bargain with the mercenary is simple: her alchemy for his protection. But it doesn't stay that way for long. While bounty hunters follow her trail and memories stalk her sleep, the greatest danger isn't the people hunting her. It's risking her heart on the first person who's ever asked for her trust instead of demanding it.
Meanwhile, another survivor is quietly losing himself to the scars the Institute left behind, proving that freedom doesn't erase trauma. Sometimes it only changes the battlefield.
Slow-burn romance
Morally gray allies
Forced bond
Shapeshifters
Found family
Trauma recovery & survival
The Thornforged Chronicles is a dark fantasy trilogy about surviving abuse, and what comes after.
If you crave emotionally intense fantasy with brutal magic systems, psychological stakes, and a heroine who refuses to be defined by her suffering, continue the series now.
About Scars of the Unbound
The Institute may be behind her, but its scars reach far beyond its walls.
As Thorn hunts Elora to reclaim his creation and Al'tera seeks to destroy the corruption poisoning its sacred trees, the journey to Kilfaire becomes a race against enemies who believe her fate is already decided.
She needs help.
Her bargain with the mercenary is simple: her alchemy for his protection. But it doesn't stay that way for long. While bounty hunters follow her trail and memories stalk her sleep, the greatest danger isn't the people hunting her. It's risking her heart on the first person who's ever asked for her trust instead of demanding it.
Meanwhile, another survivor is quietly losing himself to the scars the Institute left behind, proving that freedom doesn't erase trauma. Sometimes it only changes the battlefield.
Slow-burn romance
Morally gray allies
Forced bond
Shapeshifters
Found family
Trauma recovery & survival
The Thornforged Chronicles is a dark fantasy trilogy about surviving abuse, and what comes after.
If you crave emotionally intense fantasy with brutal magic systems, psychological stakes, and a heroine who refuses to be defined by her suffering, continue the series now.
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Miranda Howman
Award-winning Author Miranda Howman writes dark fantasy where survival comes at a cost—and healing is never simple. Her stories explore trauma, defiance, and transformation with an unflinching honesty, using fantasy as a lens to examine real-world experiences that are often overlooked or left unspoken. Through The Thornforged Chronicles, she aims not only to tell a compelling story, but to create space for readers to feel seen in the complexities of pain, survival, and reclaiming control. When she’s not writing, Miranda designs her own promotional art, researches alchemical lore, or walks her dog while plotting her next emotionally devastating chapter.
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