The Lantern of Souls oleh Miranda Novak

In the obsidian city of Veridia, the Eternal Flame isn't just a source of light—it's the city's heart, a shimmering promise of eternal ascension.  Anya Petrova, a young lamplighter, believes in this promise wholeheartedly, her life revolving around the Flame’s rhythmic pulse.  But beneath Veridia’s streets, in a labyrinth of forgotten tunnels, a terrifying truth lies hidden.  There, Anya discovers the Cinder Covenant, a clandestine sect siphoning the Flame’s power, whispering of its parasitic nature.  The Flame doesn’t guide souls to paradise; it devours them.

Shaken, Anya forges an uneasy alliance with Kael, a rebellious shade who reveals the Covenant's horrifying plan: to amplify the Flame’s power and achieve a transcendent existence, feeding its insatiable hunger with innocent souls. Anya must choose: uphold the comforting lie that sustains Veridia or expose the truth and risk plunging the city into despair.  Stopping the Covenant could extinguish the Flame entirely, severing humanity’s connection to the afterlife forever.

Anya’s quest for truth becomes a descent into Veridia’s underbelly, where the city’s flame-inspired architecture becomes a haunting reminder of the power she seeks to control.  She encounters others drawn to the Flame: Jacqueline, a driven historian obsessed with Veridia’s past, and Alexander, a lamplighter harboring a dark secret.  Their intertwined motivations create a web of alliances and betrayals, threatening to unravel Anya’s quest as the Cinder Covenant prepares for a ritual that will irrevocably alter the Flame's nature.

Anya’s investigation takes a personal turn with the discovery of her grandmother’s hidden journal, revealing a lineage of lamplighters who suspected the Flame’s true nature and were silenced.  As the ritual nears, Jacqueline witnesses the Covenant’s ruthlessness and joins forces with Anya. Alexander, torn between loyalty and affection for Anya, becomes a pivotal figure in the escalating conflict.

In a climactic battle beneath the crumbling city, Anya confronts Alexander, forcing him to choose between ambition and conscience.  His sacrifice weakens the Flame's hold, thwarting the Covenant’s plan, but shattering the city’s comforting illusion. Veridia faces an uncertain future, grappling with the truth.  Anya, having faced the darkness and emerged stronger, becomes a symbol of hope, guiding her city towards a new understanding of life, death, and the mysteries beyond. The flickering, uncertain glow of the Eternal Flame now represents not a false promise, but the resilience of hope in a world stripped of easy answers.