The Syndicate Files

ISSUE #1

"She’s Not Cursed—She’s Crowned."

There’s something electric about a character who’s not here to be saved.

When I started writing Branche De Lune Syndicate: The Syndicate’s Shadow Heiress, I wasn’t trying to create a perfect heroine. I wanted a woman who walks through pain with her teeth bared. Someone born into silence and control, who learns to own the shadows that were meant to cage her. Someone who’s allowed to be powerful, complicated, furious, sensual, and still good, even if she has to destroy everything to stay that way.

Kali Branche De Lune lives with a chronic illness -psoriatic arthritis. She argues with a bonded dragon in her soul, five dangerously magical mates, and a past that still leaves marks. She leads a magical crime syndicate, commands chaos creatures, and bleeds for the children she's sworn to protect. She doesn't want a crown, but she knows how to wear one that cuts.

This story was never about perfection. It’s about survival, power, loyalty, lust, and magic that bites back. And maybe... about finding your people in the shadows.

If you're ready for a book where chronic illness doesn't make her weak, where it becomes part of her strength, then welcome to the Syndicate.

📬 ARC applications are now open

📖 Apply here
ARC drops:  May 25 | Reviews due June 30

The Syndicate Files: Issue #2 

Magic Is Currency. Power Is Territory.

Inside the Arcane Laws of the Hollow Syndicate Realm

By Remi Valyn

If you’ve ever wondered how Kali Branche De Lune manipulates shadows, opens rifts between worlds, and still has enough power left to intimidate dragon alphas and crime lords, this file is for you.

Let’s begin with the foundation:

THE FOUR DOMINANT FORCES OF MAGIC IN THE SERIES

Shadow Magic

Kali’s birthright. She was born with RHME, Residual Hereditary Magic Echoes, threaded through her bones before she even learned to walk. The shadows don’t just follow her; they obey her. She’s the Mistress of Shadows, commanding, merciless, and cloaked in elegance.

Shadow magic manipulates the veil between reality and illusion. Shadow magic manipulates the veil between reality and illusion. It draws power from the absence of light, memory, and rules. Think of it as both a weapon and camouflage. Those who wield it are rare. Those who master it? Feared. Kali doesn’t just control shadows; she becomes them.

Bond Magic

Magical bonding with mates doesn’t just build intimacy, it changes everything. Each bond permanently alters Kali’s abilities. Her power deepens as she absorbs their magic, but her soul fractures. Each mate brings a gift, and a cost.

Bonds in this world aren't just formed through physical connection, they are also forged through pledges of allegiance to the Syndicate. These magical vows bind loyalty, power, and protection in equal measure. Once the bond is formed, Kali can grant or withhold their understanding of Zarokian, the ancient language of dragons and forgotten gods. The bond allows her to unlock comprehension for them—or keep it locked, making her fluency another tool of power.

Dragon Magic (Leyborne)

Ancient and wild, dragon magic is tied to bloodlines and ley lines. Each dragon is a leyline guardian, and bonding with one (like Astraeus) is rare. Through their connection, Kali gains telepathy, enhanced flight magic, and access to leyline breaches.

Sigil & Ritual Magic (Spiral & Hollow)

The Spiral Mouth corrupts through whispers and sigils etched in blood. The Hollow uses memory-forged spells, oaths, and mimicry to subvert enemies. These two systems are locked in war, both manipulating reality and identity. Kali’s enemies use these sigils to steal, twist, or erase magic.

 

UNIQUE TRAITS OF MAGIC IN THIS WORLD

  • Magic is adaptive. It evolves with emotion, trauma, and loyalty. Kali’s magic is not static—it reflects her state of mind and her inner war.

  • Magic leaves scars. Each time Kali absorbs a mate’s power or survives a sigil attack, her body and soul change.

  • Magic respects oaths. For example, the Vow of Hollow Flame doesn’t curse the caster; it punishes the innocent, making it a devastating weapon of manipulation.

 

A QUICK GLOSSARY FOR READERS

  • RHME (Residual Hereditary Magic Echoes) – A rare magical inheritance passed down through powerful bloodlines. Those born with RHME—like Kali—exhibit early magical resonance, often before speech or memory forms. It’s more than raw power; it’s ancestral magic echoing through the soul, shaping the wielder from birth.

  • Zarokian – Secret language of dragons and ancient mages, used for high-level magic and unspoken spells. After bonding—either through Syndicate oath or physical union, Kali can choose who understands it, and who remains in the dark.

  • The Hollow Gate is a realm linked to forgotten gods, dark power, and one hell of a body count. It also serves as the portal to the underworld.

  • Threadweaving – A rare Arcane skill that lets someone pull on the threads of fate, memory, and identity.

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

In Issue #3 of The Syndicate Files, we’ll crack open one of the most dangerous mysteries of the series:

What is the Hollow Gate—and what the hell is the Spiral Mouth really feeding on?

We’ll map out how the Hollow Gate functions as both a passage and a prison, how it became a battleground for forgotten gods, and why stepping through it might just rewrite your soul. And as for the Spiral? Let’s just say… it whispers, it remembers, and it’s always hungry.

Get ready for leyline tremors, sigil warfare, and the truth about who, or what, is pulling the strings.

📬 ARC applications are now open 📖 Apply here  |  ARC drops May 25 | Reviews due June 30