Following the Clovian Revolutionary War, Cyra lives in secret among her former enemies, far from the kingdom that thinks her dead and the deeds that made her either a hero or a villain, depending who you ask.
For four years, Cyra enjoys her mundane small-town life within the newly-independent Clovia. She locks away her memories of the war, and the scars they left on her soul, finding solace in running a saloon and bonding with the locals. If anyone finds out she’s a magic-wielding Syphon, an infamous Castorian ranger who fought against their independence, they’d put a bullet in her head.
When someone from her past—Finn, the man who broke her heart—upends everything, Cyra must confront the life she left behind, and embark on a journey into her past that begins at the famous Wyndfyre Academy, the most prestigious magic school for Syphons in the Kingdom of Castoria.
Ballad of a Renegade follows Cyra across two interwoven timelines, tied together with second-chance romance and wrapped in themes of nostalgia and loss of innocence, as our heroine reflects on her past in school, and faces a future scarred by a war in which she was far from a bystander.
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In writing Cyra’s story, I wanted to follow a fierce female character, haunted by the sins of her past. I like to think Cyra has the heart of Xena: Warrior Princess, which (as a 90s kid) I religiously watched growing up. Ballad of a Renegade will appeal to readers of Danielle L. Jensen, Carissa Broadbent, and Rebecca Yarros.
Content Warning:
This book contains adult language, drinking, violence, past trauma, and a heavy helping of righteous female rage. The spice level in this book is medium (comparable to Fourth Wing or A Court of Mist and Fury), with several intimate scenes. There is discussion of sexual assault, but no sexual assault is depicted on the page.
Please note:
I did not use AI for any part of my novel, artwork, or writing process. Ballad of a Renegade was professionally edited by a hired editor and proofreader, and formatted using Atticus.
No part of any works by Leah Larke, including but not limited to Ballad of a Renegade may be used for AI training, programs or other AI-related software. By filling out this form, you confirm you agree to and understand this.
