The Pawn and the Puppet By Brandi Elise Szeker

The Emerald Lake Asylum is not a place most desire to go. Nineteen year old, Skylenna, however, made a promise that she must keep. Once hired, she only has one purpose—prove to the council that barbaric treatments, such as waterboarding, scalding baths, and beatings, are no longer the answer. But that all takes pause when she meets the source of terror in the asylum. A patient with a split personality—on one side, he’s the bloodthirsty genius, Dessin. On the other, a hidden persona that is buried deep in his subconscious.

When Dessin is caught in an attempted cell break, he faces execution if Skylenna can’t bring out his core personality and reveal his humanity. She has ninety days to save his life, and the only way to do that is to let him consume her into his world of moves, counter-moves, and master puppeteering.

With each passing day, their bond deepens, a forbidden attraction forming against her best judgments. Little by little, Skylenna uncovers the sinister secrets of his past that turned him into the monster everyone else fears. And Dessin proves to have one weakness despite the terrifying, indestructible persona he presents to the world: her.

Disclaimer: This book contains explicit content and dark elements. Check trigger warnings before reading. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.

This is a dark dystopian world that is intended to be problematic. Please note that this is a fictional world and in no way reflects on the author’s personal beliefs. We will see the society grow and correct its moral compass over the series.

Trigger Warnings (these will change after the revised edition has been updated on publication platforms):
gratuitous violence, depression, suicide, torture, domestic violence, eating disorders, hallucinations, misogyny, poisoning, sexual assault, rape, pedophilia, romanticized mental illness, gore, death of a loved one, child abuse, decapitation, female oppression, hostage situation, body shaming, panic attacks, misrepresentation of trans people, emotional trauma, child sexual assault, child sex trafficking