What Lies Within The Willows
by Nicole Kaye · September 2026
The moon is bright the night she runs—bright enough to see the blood on her feet, bright enough to know she’s never going back.
The village of Bronn is supposed to be small enough. Forgotten enough. Here, under a name that isn’t hers, Cassidy starts to build something she never thought she’d have again: a home.
Then a stranger arrives. Haughty and callow, his actions threaten to unravel everything Cassidy has built. But survival takes a village. When their needs force them into a bargain, they get more than they bartered for. Proximity leads to promises, and promises, to trust.
Yet the kingdom’s cruelty persists. Dissenters are executed without mercy. Bandit raids grow bolder. And the tiny, remote village of Bronn…isn’t as forgotten as they think.
Cassidy will not be caged again. But when her past catches up, she will have to decide what she’s willing to fight for—and what she’s finally willing to live for.
About What Lies Within The Willows
The moon is bright the night she runs—bright enough to see the blood on her feet, bright enough to know she’s never going back.
The village of Bronn is supposed to be small enough. Forgotten enough. Here, under a name that isn’t hers, Cassidy starts to build something she never thought she’d have again: a home.
Then a stranger arrives. Haughty and callow, his actions threaten to unravel everything Cassidy has built. But survival takes a village. When their needs force them into a bargain, they get more than they bartered for. Proximity leads to promises, and promises, to trust.
Yet the kingdom’s cruelty persists. Dissenters are executed without mercy. Bandit raids grow bolder. And the tiny, remote village of Bronn…isn’t as forgotten as they think.
Cassidy will not be caged again. But when her past catches up, she will have to decide what she’s willing to fight for—and what she’s finally willing to live for.
N
Nicole Kaye
Nicole Kaye is the pen name for this author. Born in the Midwest, the author grew up dreaming of dragons and magic, and ultimately pursued a degree in engineering. After marrying her high-school sweetheart, living in states across half the country, and building a career, she settled once more in the Midwest. There she lives with her husband, dog, cat, and imaginary dragons.
View profile