Pines & Petrol

by Kalleigh Royn

Vengeance is a debt paid in blood and petrol.

When his brother seizes the Echelon throne, Leon Valric’s world shatters. Betrayed and with nowhere left to turn, he flees into the wild with a single, desperate secure the aid of the Sovereign, and reclaim what’s his.

But the road to salvation is cut short when Leon is intercepted by a powerful lord with a dangerous reputation. Trapped in an uneasy alliance, Leon must play a dangerous game of loyalty and leverage. One wrong move could cost him everything.

Amid gunfire and rising chaos, Leon is forced to test his mind, skill, and judgment, learning that strength alone isn’t enough to lead. As the line between duty and vengeance blurs, he must decide if claiming power is worth destroying the man he thought he was.

Genres: Novella, Dystopia, Morally Grey, Young Adult

98 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2026

About the author

Kalleigh Royn lives in a beautiful mountain town in Southern Alberta, where she balances her work as a middle school administrator with her passion for writing. Drawing from her experiences, she weaves themes of resilience and leadership into her stories. When she's not writing or working, she can be found hiking, running, biking, or spending time with her partner and their adventurous corgi, Corgmander Riker.

Follow Kalleigh Royn on instagram https://www.instagram.com/kalleighroy...

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
I didn’t think Kalleigh Royn could make me feel more for these characters, but Pines & Petrol proved me wrong. Getting inside Leon’s head was both a gift and a curse—his internal struggle with leadership and the "petrol" of his own ambition was so raw.
​This novella is short, but it packs a massive punch. The transition from the more natural "Pines" elements to the gritty, industrial chaos was handled beautifully. It’s the perfect bridge to Book 3 and left me desperate for more.
​Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookish._.Banter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leon is running. But is he running away from or running towards something?

His brother has taken over Echelon. He thinks Nova has betrayed him. He thinks he has no choice.

But he’s got to play the game and decide whose side he’s on. What’s the price of loyalty? He’s about to find out.

I love a good POV switch up, especially one just outside of the main storyline, and this gives us a bit more insight into Leon. Can’t wait for the next book!

[Alanna McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2.5 takes a bit of a turn by switching perspectives, but seeing the world through a different lens added so much depth to the overall story!
While I’ll admit I still prefer Nova’s voice from the first two books, I can’t deny that the storytelling here is solid. The author does a fantastic job of helping us understand the different facets of Leon; it answered some questions I didn't even know I had and has me even more excited to see how everything converges in Book 3.

[Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite short, but I enjoyed being in Leon's head for a while^^ See how's he turning out to be. Can't wait for the 3rd book :D

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fast-paced and thriling novella follows Leon and Crux into a dystopian landscape after Leon flees Echelon. It is real, raw, and makes no apologies.

Fuelled by anger at his brother and the girl who betrayed him, Leon makes an alliance and falls into political games with a dangerous Lord. The calculating and lethal side of Leon emerges.

As his desire for vengeance against his brother becomes entwined with a kind of chaos he didn’t expect to fall into, Leon struggles with the man he is and who he thought he might be.

The juxtaposition of the natural world vs the man-made smells and heat of petrol and four wheelers makes this story tangible. The heat rising from gravel under Leon’s feet reflects his pursuit of power. He’s in a hot seat and the question is: are power and vengeance really what he wants?

[Erika Marr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pines and petrol is a dystopian/fantasy novella in the scattered seeds series. It follows Leon’s story after he is cast out of his empire from his brother taking control. I believe it’s been to read this after you have read the first 2 books personally so you have a back story on the characters and storyline. Leon is on a journey to other parts of the empire to try and gain support for him taking rule as opposed to his brother. He is also running from his brother. His living conditions aren’t great along the way and then they run into some trouble. Him and his friend crux run into general maddox along the way which is someone Leon cannot stand. They end up being taken by the generals crew and made to work for them however Leon has a plan of his own to use these men to take back the empire from his brother. He acts as a spy mapping out a plan to make this happen finding when to strike and get what he wants. I really enjoyed the novella I rated it 4 stars and suggest you check out the series!

[Lucrezia Castello · Rating 4 out of 5]

We catch a brief glimpse of MMC here, far from the place where he grew up, served and was revered. Together with his faithful companion, Crux, he tries to survive, relying on one another in this new and complicated situation.

As if by some kind of calling, their presence is almost immediately detected by the 'resistance' against the Commonwealth — the new regime led by Leon's brother, Kieran.

Leon soon realises that the camp's dynamics are not as balanced as they seem. He suspects there is a mole among them and sets some custom-made traps to prove his point. The camp leader never expected such a treacherous turn of events👀

Brief yet intense, the book revisits themes explored in the previous two books. Through the protagonist’s point of view, it helps us to understand his position within the ranks a little better, as well as how he intends to proceed from this point onwards.

The only question that came to mind was: what has happened to the FMC? Some time has passed since the second volume, so I’d already forgotten her fate😅

[Alyssa Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The old adage, “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer,” rings true with Kalleigh Royn’s latest dystopian novella. Follow along as Leon establishes new alliances in a cutthroat faction. As alliances shift and loyalties are tested, Leon must strategically forge new connections while carefully observing those who threaten his survival. With each encounter, the line between friend and foe blurs, leading to unexpected twists and revelations that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Join Leon on his gripping journey of survival and strategy in a society where trust is a luxury few can afford.

[theenchantedalibi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know what Kalleigh is putting in these books, but is so addictive! After Sprigs and Stone I absolutely needed more, and now after this novella, I’m becoming even more impatient. This novella follows Leon after he leaves Echelon, and while this novella might be short, a lot happens. I would consider the events in this novella a major plot twist that I definitely did not see coming. I still have hope for Nova and Leon, but I’m loving the character development for each one of them individually. You guys need to read this series it is absolutely captivating. Thank you so much to Kalleigh for this arc!

[Michelle Hymers · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
Oh Leon. You have me smiling, and cringing all at the same time!! 🙈 If only you just figured out how to communicate with the people you love. 🫠

Another masterpiece by Kalleigh Royn. Seeing Leon’s pov was a great glimpse into his motivations and I really do think his heart is in the right place, just wounded and lacks trust. I really enjoyed this novella, it was seemless from the end of Sprigs & Stone into this one. And more time with these characters I love is never a bad thing!

Can’t wait for the next one!!

[Blitheroo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how she did it, but she managed to redeem Leon for me at least a little bit. And I didn't think that was possible after Book 2 lol. This book is entirely from Leon's perspective and we get a rare insight into how he thinks and some of the seemingly impulsive choices he makes. He's actually thinking ahead in a way I never expected. This novella does a great job of setting the stage for Book 3, and I can't wait to see what Nova and Kieran do next with these new players on the board!!

[Monica Desmarais · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a novella, this was a quick and engaging addition to the Scattered Seeds series. A few times, it had me feeling like I might be reading Leon’s villain origin story. I enjoyed the added depth and complexity to his character and am curious to see where his ambition takes him. More than anything, this story feels like a strong bridge between books, setting the stage for what’s to come in book three.

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

I got this book as an ARC read.

I really enjoyed reading from Leon’s perspective. There was some good twists throughout this read

This was a quick and fun read, easily manageable in one sitting. A great book to continue the story and read in an afternoon.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novella. This is Leon’s POV after book two. Looking forward to book three!

[Marie-Ange · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Review of an advanced copy gifted from the author in exchange of an honest review*

This short novella was fun and didn’t go in the direction I was expecting. I love going into books blind and I love being surprised, and this delivered on that!

I do feel like this story could have benefited from being a full-length novel. My only real issue is that I wanted more time and more detail. The pacing felt a bit rushed due to how condensed the story is, but that mostly is just because I enjoyed the premise and the characters soooooo much that I just wanted more of everything!

It was super interesting to have Leon’s point of view and being in his head. I love a truly flawed character and that’s what Leon. You get to understand him, why he is the way he is and how he thinks.

I was already excited for book 3 after reading book 2, but reading this novella made it all the more exciting.