Carrion Saints - by Hiyodori

Book Synopsis

"Now reach back," she said, "and tear off your wings."

Carrion Saints is a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance between an immortal saint and a severed head.

Crow can pass for human. She may come off as eccentric, but she's good at hiding her wings. As a saint, she's devoted her endless life to protecting humanity from other immortals: the ones they call monsters. She's finally ready to take on the worst monster of all, a great evil sealed at the edge of civilization.

Magnolia is the worst monster of all. A villain who amuses herself by preying on valiant heroes. At first glance, she looks powerless. She looks, in fact, like a decapitated head (a very chatty one). But her magic lets her issue absolute commands to humans and immortals alike. She's been waiting centuries for a challenger powerful enough to break the seal binding her in the wilderness. In other words, she's been waiting centuries to magically seize control over someone like Crow.

Crow has always been patient and forgiving. Sadistic, remorseless Magnolia awakens new depths of loathing in her-a hatred of frightening intensity. And now, she's forced to use her full power to grant Magnolia's one heartfelt wish: to see the rest of the world. To make up for all the years she spent trapped alone with only trees for company.

What follows is an ultra slow-burn romance between true enemies. Between good and evil. Between a winged woman and a talkative severed head (who occasionally sprouts the rest of her body, just to keep things lively). They travel together across a post-apocalyptic landscape marked by strange magic and scattered human settlements. Yet the apocalypse happened a long time ago, and eons will pass before their gradually fading world dies for good.

In the meantime, these immortals are stuck with each other. Even a saint and a monstrous villain might eventually fall in love-but the path there will be dark, crooked, and sometimes surprisingly cozy.

This standalone fantasy novel can be read without prior knowledge of the author's other work.