Holy Maiden Ysabel has four months left to live. Determined to make the most of her limited time, she acts the part of an innocent, virginal healer while concealing her nightlife as an alcohol-loving dominatrix.
It’s a race to see which will kill her first: her healing power which subtracts a day off her life every time she uses it, the elderly Council of Cardinals who plan to extend their lives by sacrificing her to the Sun God. If Ysabel tries to escape, the cardinals will slaughter the refugees camped outside her city. People she feels responsible for after she killed their leader.
When she defies the cardinals by saving the life of trans What does "trans" mean in a fantasy world? man Dark Lord Kaine, he takes it upon himself to rescue her from her grisly fate—by threatening to invade her country. Fortunately, he likes her enough to back off when she shoos his army off her doorstep<- confusing . Unfortunately why?, she likes him too, and the nagging survival instinct she thought she killed with booze and drugs comes back with a vengeance. But failing to die as a proper Holy Maiden would mean betraying the people she wants to save. why?
PERSEPHONE’S WALTZ is a 129,000 word F
fantasy novel in the style of Terry Pratchett meets N.K. Jemisin.
Sounds interesting
Let me see if I have this. She wants to save the refugees (and her own life). Does she have to choose between the two? Why does she care so much about them?
What does being a dominatrix have to do with solving the main conflict of the story? Does it give her a special power?
Is there a Bad Guy in this scenario? Who's the antagonist?
You mention alcohol a couple times, is that a critical component of the storyline? Does she have to confront her own addictions before solving the conflict?
BTW, your protagonist reminds me of the one from KC Alexander's NecroTech, you should take a look.