Of Ashes and After

Reigns of Telmoria #2

by Fabins

I am the Tamer of Atlassian.
At least, that is all that matters.

With the Realms tearing themselves apart for the Celestial Dissonance, the five most dangerous Tameables ever bound to Atlassian are mine to command. My duty is to forge them into a weapon for a Sovereign who regards me with the focus of a strategist. But the beasts are not the only storm awakening.

A hidden chamber whispers of buried conspiracies, and murmurs coil through the palace. Warnings suggest my very existence is a key to the Clan’s survival. In a court of gilded lies and shifting loyalties, I must learn to wield more than monstrous power. I must master the politics of a world that sees me as an outsider with a lethal gift and an unresolved enigma.

The first night of the war belongs to me and my beasts. To ensure it is not our last, I must unravel the conspiracy buried in my own shadow, decide who to trust, and discover what I am truly willing to become, before the Dissonance reduces us all to ashes.

The beasts will fight for their Realm.
And I will fight for the truth.

Fabins delivers a sweeping, emotionally resonant romantasy where memory is a weapon, love is a battlefield, and a forgotten heroine refuses to remain silent. Of Ashes and After blends epic stakes with aching intimacy in a world on the brink of collapse.

Genres: Fantasy Romance, Romance, Romantasy

446 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2026

About the author

Fabins is a fantasy romance author with a weakness for slow burns and a fierce love of character-driven stories. A software engineer by day and a storyteller by obsession, she balances logic and longing with the precision of someone who has probably overthought both.

When she isn't drafting, she is likely halfway across the world (wandering somewhere unfamiliar), arguing passionately about things that don't pay bills or reading (either swooning over fictional characters or hurling the book at the nearest cushion after a terrible twist).

She (thinks she) has a knack for sketches and paintings, but singing is the one thing she's fairly sure she does better. She's also a devoted PC gamer, especially fond of first-person shooters, where she can aggressively defend her honor against random gamers who steal her kills, camp shamelessly or somehow blame her for the team losing. (the audacity!)

To connect, complain, or compliment her characters (she welcomes all three), DM her!

Reviews

[Avid Dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought book one wrecked me and then this one came in like "hold my drink."

This duet took everything from book one.. the romance, the angst, the obsession, the lore and turned the intensity up to an unreasonable level. Now I just want to meet Damien in person and I don't know... bat my eye lashes and twirl my hair like an idiot all while knowing he's biologically incapable of caring about anyone exp Bella.

Ooo then we've Tameables (banter bw Nyxrathis and Dreadclaw lol... and my sweet little Whiptail), the trials, the battles, the twists that had me switching theories every five seconds like a maniac... i could NOT put this book down.

The amount of sad tears and happy tears i got from these pages?? Not to be dramatic but this book altered my brain chemistry a little. Every chapter felt like the author was sitting there thinking "but what if i made it worse?" Still I loved every second of it.

And don't even get me started on the confessions because that man had to be a poet in another life. His obsession was OBSESSING. Meanwhile Bella turning awkwardness into an art form had me laughing through the emotional destruction. The side characters (esp Amara, lol), the banters, the soul-crushing losses.. O.M.G.

This duet made me even more obsessed with this series and now i just sit here thinking about fictional characters instead of being productive or starting another book.

Respectfully, the author needs to pay for my therapy.

[Ivana Loustalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

F., I can't thank you enough for sharing your books with me, I'll be forever grateful ✨
If I could give this book more than five stars, I would do it in a heartbeat! Of Ashes and After completely shattered me.. in the best possible way. It picks up right where Aether and Ash left off, with a mind‑blowing cliffhanger. And what an overwhelming story this was! A true rollercoaster of emotions. I didn’t know what to think, who to trust, or what to do. So many secrets, hidden truths, and conspiracies.
I absolutely loved the dual POV between Mirabelle and Damien, especially at the beginning, when they were so far apart, figuratively speaking. There were so many dark scenes, filled with pain and despair, that they were hard to read. I suffered for Bella; I think we all did at some point, until some of the schemes were unraveled and she wasn’t so alone anymore.
I laughed. I sobbed. I hoped. I broke. And then I cried some more. The pacing, the plot, the entire story felt so right, so beautifully designed. I enjoyed every part of it: the good, the bad, the ugly, and all the Tameables. It. Was. Perfect. It made every page worth it!
And the ending.. ohhh.. I honestly couldn’t have wished for a better one.
I love Fabin’s writing style, and I’m hoping there will be more stories to come from this incredible world. I’m not ready to say goodbye to it just yet.
I genuinely couldn’t have asked for more.. but as always, I will.. because I NEED more. So much more!

"The beasts will fight for their Realm.
And I will fight for the truth."

Inside you'll find:
✨ Unique Magic System
🪾 Court Affairs & Conspiracies
❣️ Soul Bonded
🧌 Tameables Beasts
☁️ Secrets & Hidden Truths
❤️‍🩹 Found Family
🗡️ Deadly Trials
☠️ Touch Her & D...
🔥 Fierce FMC
🥀 Mental Health Rep.

[Chanel Barnard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance reader copy provided by the author

After devouring Ashes & Aether, I couldn't wait to dive into Fabins' sequel!

Of Ashes and After completely pulls you back into a world that’s already on the edge—and then makes everything worse in the best way. This time, the stakes feel so much higher. Mirabelle is now fully stepping into her role as the Tamer of Atlassian, controlling these insanely dangerous creatures while the realms are basically tearing themselves apart over the looming Celestial Dissonance.

But it’s not just battles and power—it’s all the politics, secrets, and betrayal happening behind palace walls that really drive the story. This was definitely a rollercoaster - you just had no idea who you could trust! And any book that has training and trials has me completely sold.

Emotionally? This one hit harder than what I was expecting. It felt heavier and more intense. The pressure on Bella, the isolation, the slow realisation that power comes with a cost; it all just sits with you. And the romance with Damien? It’s still there, but it’s tangled up in loyalty, survival, and impossible choices, which makes it feel even more angsty.

It’s definitely more character driven than action packed at times, but that tension never really lets go of you. And every page was worth it! If you like your romantasy with high stakes, emotional damage, and messy relationships, this absolutely delivers.

[Nics · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Read

I don’t think I will ever recover from this book.

What do you do when the person who once knew your soul… doesn’t remember you at all?😭

They were everything, bonded, destined, unbreakable. And then the Abyss took it all. Every memory. Every moment. Every piece of them… gone. Just. Like that.

Nobody remembers anything, except for Mirabelle.💔

Watching her carrying the weight of a love that she thinks doesn’t exist for him anymore. It devastated me. Because he didn’t just forget, but it was announced that he is to be bonded to Lorenza… from Nyxaria🥴 (Turns out there’s a little secret tooooooooo!!!!) But Mirabelle didn’t give up. She stayed. She fought.

But the way this unfolded. Infront of my eyes!! I was climbing up the walls. Because yes he forgot, but he didn’t falter. He didn’t bond to another. He knew without knowing!😭😭😮‍💨😮‍💨

Oh, and it also turns out that I am obsessed with Tameables. Nyxrathis, the girl you are!🔥The banter between her and Dreadclaw, I was sat.

The bonding ceremony. The way it comes full circle. The softness after so much pain. The life they build together. Their daughter.

It wasn’t just beautiful. It was earned, dammit was it earned!🥺

So yeah, to say it lightly, I didn’t just read this book, I felt it in my chest. 10/10❤️✨🔥👏🏻

So grab the first book and jump right into the second one, I highly recommend it.🥹❤️

Tropes:
Memory loss
Soul bond
Second Chance
Slow-burn with intense chemistry
Reclaiming love
HEA
Obsessive Devotion

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up right after part 1. Mirabelle is being the dutiful Tamer, while Damien is being the dutiful Sovereign. But Mirabelle hasn’t given up, she is edging closer and closer to winning back her man, despite the best efforts of Damien’s fiancé, Lorenza. But while she is focused in this and getting her beasts ready for the Dissonance, she is unaware of the deeper plot running through the land of Telmoria. She and Damien both almost lose their lives to the scheming plots of those who don’t want House Azarios to rule, and those who have personal grudges against Mirabelle. But after all of this, Mirabelle gets Damien back, with all of his memories intact once again, and a newfound family.
This was quite a captivating read, I found it quite powerful how strong Damien’s love was for Mirabelle. Against the worst odds, with no memories of her, and not knowing why, he finds his way back to her. It is a love story more than anything, despite the near death experiences and the bloody battles. Some of the political scenes had me lost, but they it didn’t take away from the story. I never could have seen the ending coming.

[Kate Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an eagerly awaited sequel after the massive cliffhanger at the end of book one, and I genuinely couldn’t see how everything could possibly be resolved.

This is a full, in-depth novel that captivates you from the very beginning and refuses to let go until the final word. I loved the Tamables and their banter, especially the way Mira understands them and brings them together as a team. They are all so different, yet they work brilliantly together.

There is so much angst and loss throughout the story, but also powerful friendships and deep bonds. The many twists keep you constantly on your toes.

And then there’s Damien, dark, brooding, obsessive leader, thoroughly captivating. The betrayals by both family and friends, along with the final confessions, left me simply staring at my Kindle when I finished.

These characters stayed in my head for days afterwards, and I haven’t experienced that with a book in many years.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alexis Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just as amazing as the first and I couldn’t put it down! It’s really nice that it pick up right where it left off and the were so many little twist and turns especially when it come to Mirabelles past! The dual POV was really helpful to the story as we got to see and feel what both Mirabelle and Damien were feeling and the struggle with the fact that Damien didn’t remember her. Them slowly find each other again and falling in love for a second time was truly the cherry on top! I also loved seeing Mirabelle find her place with the Tameables but holy cow I may not recover from what happens. The trials were really good to read but kinda felt a little rushed but they were so packed with action and I defiantly felt all the emotion that came with those scenes. And the ending perfectly wrapped everything up! I love the types of ending like the one in this book it’s fun to see what it showed (trying not to spoil)! I truly don’t think I am ready to say goodby to this world but I’m happy with how it ended!

[Pookiereader_37 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this and sat there staring at the wall.

I thought Aether & Ash already had me emotionally compromised, but this sequel said "actually, you know what... let's make it worse" and then ruined my mental stability chapter by chapter.

And Damien Azarios...i need that man studied in a lab because the things that came out of his mouth??? His devotion to Bella was so intense it actually melted my heart into mush.

Also can we talk about the emotional whiplash?? One second I was giggling at the banter and the next I was fighting for my life over the losses. The battles had me anxious, the trials had me sweating, and the political intrigue had me rereading paragraphs like WAIT SO WHO'S LYING??

This book completely consumed my life for a few days and now I fear no other romantasy will hit the same.
Also, now ahem ahem...are we getting a book about those two who were trying to kill each other in Dominion Ledgerdeep or what? 👀

[Trista Reads Too Much · Rating 4 out of 5]

We pick up where we left off with Mirabelle and Damien.
I felt her frustration and heartache. I also felt her strength and determination. Despite the odds being stacked against them, they managed to find their way back to each other. It was heartwarming.

We all love a good romance, but this book was packed with action as well. There was training and trials. Battles that seemed to wreck things even more.
There was a few twists that had me on the edge of my seat!

There was also slight redemption for certain characters that I was actually glad to see.

All in all this book was a great read. It was suspenseful and tragic all wrapped up in a happily ever after bow.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[The Calm Chapter Mandi Wiencek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabins turned me into a Romantasy Fan! Aether and Ash was my true intro to the realm of Romantasy. I admire the world that’s been created and I’m so lucky I was given both of these beauties! This universe is so intricately crafted. Every detail brings it to life right off the page. Congratulations, my friend! Thank you for sharing this work with me! 💙 (also, the blue is insaaaaane 😍).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the series and it had the perfect ending!! Mirabelle will be a character I will remember always! Even after everything they went through Mirabelle and Damien found their way back to each other! We get more romance, some spice, action, betrayals and a good plot twist!!! Such a great read! 5 stars!!!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. This was a fast read that quickly pulled me in. I will be watching for more books by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

🗡️ Of Ashes and After by Fabins | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5/5) | ARC eBook via Booksprout🗡️

This sequel offers a darker, sharper expansion of Telmoria (referring to Aether and Ashes, book 1), following the Tamer of Atlassian as she navigates hidden identities, court politics, found family, reluctant power with her volatile Tameables, the looming threat of war, and slow-burn emotional tension. Book 2 blends epic stakes with intimate character moments as conspiracies rise and the truth of her own existence becomes the key to survival. I especially LOVED the tiny atmospheric detail of the 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬—a small but haunting touch that made the world feel alive and eerie in the best way.

If you enjoyed Aether and Ash, make sure to read this sequel ✨🔥

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I was going to jump into this as soon as I could after reading the first book 😉

Mirabelle still reeling from the fact everyone seems to have lost their memories, her bond with Damien lost in the abyss. Determined to help him remember her without telling him that something is amiss within the clan. She is part of the legion as their Tamer and had her work cut out to learn how to fight, to be with her clan for the upcoming Dissonance but her life is never easy and there is always someone who seeks her failure…

“𝐼 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒. 𝒪𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎. 𝒜𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝑒𝓈, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒻𝑒𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔, 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝓊𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉.”

Once again, you are held to ransom on the pages with Fabins telling of their story. Her descriptive narrative of Telmoria ensures you feel a part of it, we meet the tameables again along with some new ones. Held captive to pages of lies, betrayals, secrets, deceit and a war between clans, losing friends, before ultimately coming together to forge alliances, finding lost family and a bond that was built to last. It’s been a journey that I feel I’ve shared with Damien and Mirabelle, even with all their ups and downs 🫶🏻