A Fortress of Ash and Iron
by Melissa Haines
Ophelia and Lily share one fractured mind, hunted by the man who broke them in a basement. When their stolen car crashes at the Dragon Falls border, they collide with Ari—a mountain-bound man whose ancient bloodline connects him to forces that answer his rage. In a town where the land itself responds to human darkness, Ophelia must decide whether to trust the stranger offering shelter or surrender to the monster pursuing them across haunted terrain.
119 pages
Read the opening
The stolen sedan smelled of stale sweat, dried copper, and the bitter chemical poison Ophelia was finally vomiting out of her system. Behind the steering wheel, Ophelia’s chest was hitching in panicked, desperate gasps. Her vision was swimming, her hands shaking so violently she could barely keep the car between the double yellow lines. In the dark corners of her mind, the basement stairs were looping over and over—Dane’s boots, the sound of the deadbolt, the cold floorboards. I can’t . . . I can’t do this . . . Ophelia wept, her grip slipping on the vinyl. He’s right behind us . . . Let go of the wheel, sweet girl, Lily’s voice broke through the panic, rough, urgent, and fiercely protective. Close your eyes and let me take it. I’ve got you. The change was instant. The shaking in her hands stopped as Lily slammed into the front. Her fingers clamped down like iron, her back straightening, her dark eyes narrowing with vicious focus as she checked the mirrors. Move your feet. Breathe on the four-count. Bury the needle. Lily took the wheel with both hands, shoving Ophelia gently behind the mental door where she was safe and warm. If she let the car stall now, Dane’s high beams would punch through the fog, and they’d be dragged back to that cellar in chains.
The sample pages on this site continue the opening — and the full book is available in print.
About the author
Melissa Haines
Melissa Haines is an Appalachian-born author whose work lives at the intersection of raw psychological grit, survival, and modern folklore. Originally from the rugged ridges of West Virginia and now residing in Indiana, Melissa writes with a searing honesty that can only come from lived experience. A survivor of a two-year abusive marriage, Melissa channels the realities of trauma, dissociation, and reclaimed autonomy into dark, atmospheric fiction.
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