The Priestess

by Angelina Gonne

A complete fantasy romance novella, perfect for a one-to-two-hour escape.

The gods chose her for him. He gave her his word he'd never claim her. When he returns from the Trials, it becomes the one promise she wishes he would break.

Aliyah has always known what the gods expect of her.

As Acolyte to the High Moon Priestess, her life belongs to her goddess and the kingdom of Boros. By sacred decree, she is also meant for Prince Mathias. If he chooses to claim her, she will become his medora, the second wife the gods grant a prince forced into a political marriage.

When they were thirteen, her best friend promised he never would.

Then Mathias comes home a changed man, and one heated sparring match in the sand turns that childhood promise to dust.

But a prince must marry for his kingdom first. His bride, the Duchess Torynn, brings the army Boros desperately needs, along with a cold, possessive hatred for the priestess her new husband cannot stop looking at.

Aliyah may love Mathias. But she will not choose him over her kingdom.

So she pours her heart into holding the kingdom together as the king falls ill, the provinces smolder with unrest, and Mathias rides toward a war he may not survive. The night before he leaves, she offers him the most sacred rite a priestess can give her prince, sealed in pleasure and in blood.

It may be enough to bring him home. But the deadliest enemy is not on the battlefield: they are already inside the palace walls.

A spicy standalone romantasy novella with friends-to-lovers, forbidden love, blood magic, and a childhood promise that never stood a chance.

Content warnings: open door,18+, blood rituals, violence, and infidelity.

81 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 12, 2026

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Like the other three books from Tales from the Mondorian Vault this is a novella and super easy to pick up and catch on to the world and magic. Of the four this was actually my favorite

We have our FMC Aliyah who is a Acolyte to the High Moon Priestess (hence the book name) and her life is not fully her own as following sacred tradition the Prince (Mathias) can claim her as his after he first marries for politics. After growing up together and training side by side they were separated for a time while Mathias went off for his Trials and when he comes back it is full YEARNING between these two. They are unfortunately better people than I and each do their duty to the Kingdom and set their feelings aside for a time until the threat of war brings them back together. The spice goes from 2.5/5 to 5/5 from this point on and I'll leave it at that so as not to spoil anything.
**There is a content warning of blood rituals, there are couple instances of this in the book and one in particular I would say its almost borderline blood play but in a ritualistic fashion instead of just blood ritual.

[Tanya Raven · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.

This being a 2 hour read was accurate and makes for a decent airport book. There’s just enough description and world building to keep a reader interested and just the right amount of spice if you’re looking for a break from more intense reading. Ultimately, the plot was good. This is my first time reading anything my Angelina Gonne, and would normally be more than happy to read more. Unfortunately, the author’s decision to use AI in their marketing makes it difficult for me to rate this anything above a 3 stars. Ethically, I can’t support someone who supports a technology that actively steals from legitimate artists and is trained by destroying literature itself.

[Ashling B · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another really enjoyable, quick and fast paced novella from The Mondorian Vault series! After enjoying The Duchess, I was excited to jump into this one, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I really enjoyed Aliyah and Mathias's story, especially the childhood friendship, forbidden romance and all thattension! ❤️‍🔥 I loved the mix of romance, magic and political intrigue.... and of course drama!

Once again, Angelina Gonne manages to pack so much into such a short story! I love how we're getting to explore different parts of this world with each novella. My only complaint is that I would have loved a little more time with the characters. 😂 I have a feeling this entire series is going to leave me wanting more, but I'm really enjoying these little novellas! About to jump straight into the next one! ❤️

Tropes 📚
💕 Friends to Lovers
❤️‍🔥 Forbidden Romance
👑 Royal Romance
✨ Blood Magic
🥹 Childhood Friends
🏰 Political Intrigue

[Malloree Stefanello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first read by Angelina Gonne. It is a short story filled with many emotions. I found myself rooting for the main characters from the very begaining. There were some open door scenes so be mindful of that is not your idea of a good read. Over all it is well written and a very enjoyable read. I would happily read more by this author and would love to see where the future takes Aliyah and Mathias. Fated pairing, jealous wife, betrayal and war. What more could you ask for in an afternoon of reading.

[Elle Ann · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Cute fantasy story. There is political intrigue, there is sex, there is battles, there is romance. All within a single reading period.

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

[Caitlin Gray · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Magic, jealousy, betrayal. Honestly what more could I ask for. This was short but it was perfectly portrayed with enough detail to make the story come to life.
It’s a fantastic read for when you want to feel all of your emotions without committing to more than 2 hours of your time.

[LynnsBookCoven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an amazing love story to me. It was full of politics, betrayal, war, sacrifice, and friendship. I loved Aliyah and Mathias in this story and how they continued to be there for one another. I also loved the descriptions used and how easily it was to picture every scene.