BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: The Dark in Her Veins by M.K. Lobb

Today’s spotlight comes by way of Source Fire Fantasy! Sin has a price as we step into the dark, dangerous world of Valestadt.

In Valestadt, sin causes a fatal disease called the Bloodrot, and Talin Keller is paid to commit the violent acts the city’s wealthy and powerful would rather keep off their own hands.

With death closing in, her chance at freedom hinges on betraying the feared Warden, Slade—but their dangerous attraction draws her into a conspiracy that could cost far more than her life.

The Dark in Her Veins (Divine Villains, 1)

Published: August 25trh, 2026

Genre: Dark fantasy

Nothing is sacred for those willing to pay the price…

In Valestadt, everything has a price. Sin leaves its mark in the form of the Bloodrot, a slow-creeping disease that leads to madness, then death. The rich outsource their violence. The poor sell theirs and suffer the cost.

Talin Keller is a sinner. Employed by the holiest man in the city, the Prophet, she stains her hands so his can stay clean. But with her Bloodrot rapidly advancing, Talin knows her next job could be her last.

Then a new assignment puts Talin on a collision course with the Warden, a shadowy figure whose name is spoken like a warning. If she can get close, she can trade his life for her own freedom―and escape the death her sins have promised. That is, if she can stay steady on the knife’s edge. 

Because Talin is dangerously drawn to the Warden. He is sharp, cruel, and whatever blazes in him sparks against every dark part of her. If she isn’t careful, her plans will burn.

As savior and sinner tangle, Talin uncovers a conspiracy tied to the past she thought dead. And in Valestadt, where sin is currency, she’ll have to decide what she’s willing to pay to survive.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things dark— be it literature, humour, or general aesthetic. She grew up in small-town Ontario and studied political science at both the University of Western Ontario and the University of Ottawa. She now lives by the lake with her partner and their cats. When not reading or writing, she can be found at the gym or contemplating the harsh realities of existence.