Empress of the Dark

Forgotten Gods #7

by Laura Greenwood

Trapped in the compound of a man who doesn't love her, Nephthys knows it's time to get out.

But escaping is only part of the problem. Somehow, she has to convince the other gods she isn't a spy for Seth.

Can Nephthys reclaim her place with the other gods, or is she doomed to the same fate as the man she's trying to leave behind?

Empress of the Dark is a fantasy/mythology romance and is part of the Forgotten Gods series and is Nephthys' complete story. It is based on Egyptian mythology.

Genres: Mythology

151 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2022

About the author

Laura is a romantasy author who writes epic romantasy, cozy fantasy romance, and modern romantasy. She lives in the UK, where most of her books are set, with her partner. When she's not writing, Laura can be found exploring worldwide cuisine with her partner, drinking tea, and reading fantasy books. Laura specialises in quick reads with healthy relationships, consent-positive moments, and often with ace main characters.

Discover one of Laura Greenwood's most popular series:

- The Apprentice of Anubis (mythology-inspired modern romantasy)

- Falhaven Castle (cozy fantasy romance)

- House of Blood and Roses (vampire romantasy)

- Scales of Justice (mythology-inspired modern romantasy)

- Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency (mythology-inspired paranormal rom-com)

- Amethyst's Wand Shop Mysteries (urban fantasy murder mystery)

- Purple Oak Oasis (cozy fantasy romance)

- Fated Mates and Monster Dates (cozy monster romance)

- The Dragonflame Heir (dragon romantasy)

- City of Masked Mermaids (mermaid romantasy)

Laura has been publishing since 2016 and writing for a lot longer than that. She specialises in quick reads that are perfect for an afternoon, a day at the beach, or a commute. She writes all of her own books.

You can find a full book list and more information on her website, or in her Facebook Reader Group.

Happy Reading!

Reviews

[Nathalie Bookwurm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empress of the Dark by Laura Greenwood is a short, mythology-based fantasy romance following Nephthys, the Egyptian goddess of mourning, as she escapes captivity and reclaims her power. The novella blends emotional growth, healthy romance, and vivid world-building in a compact, satisfying story. Ideal for fans of quick reads with strong female leads and mythological themes.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

In trying to make a bad situation better, Nephthys got herself trapped into a worse one. Now, she has a chance to escape, but will that bring her the freedom she desires or only land her in a different trap? I couldn’t help but feel for her. She’s been the victim of her “husband’s” bad attitude for so long, she has no faith in herself. But Heka does, and he’s willing to believe enough for the both of them. I’m still hooked on the bigger story around them and I’m anxious to dig in to find out what’s next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Ash J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is one of my favorite 'Forgotten Gods' stories that I have read so far. I really likes the main character and got involved with her story and situation from the very start. Again, the Egyptian gods aspect of the story was surprisingly interesting to me, who doesn't know too much about those things. I love how Laura Greenwood's romance books don't totally revolve around only the romance aspect and have a wonderful storyline that you follow with a little romance on the side.

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

[Laura Moylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, we find out more about Seth, the Chaos God of Egypt and some of his plans from the point of view of his wife, Nephthys, who hasn’t been able to do her job as one of the judges to the Afterlife and the weighing of the heart against Ma’at’s feather, etc.

After thousands of years of trying to make it work with Seth, she has realized, the God she knew, is no longer who Seth is. He is pure anger and Chaos now and he knows too much.

Nephthys finds out that Rhodopis is a spy for Ra’s side as Heka, God of Magic is dressed as a slave at Seth’s compound. She learns that she wasn’t forgotten by the rest of the family- those gods and goddesses at Karnak. Nephthys is drawn to Heka, just as she was millennia ago, but now she gives in and they end up in Karnak. The book is short, but all of the stories flow into each other and just flesh out the world the author is writing about, which is fascinating. I’m truly terrified of what Seth is up to now that he has kidnapped Wadjet. I have so many questions! Hopefully, the next book will answer some of them, but I have a feeling I’ll just have more questions, with a few answers thrown in. Lol

I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

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

[Katheyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Empress of Darkness“ by Laura Greenwood, is the sixth instalment in the “Forgotten Gods”, a paranormal series heavily based on Ancient Egyptian Mythology, and composed of ‘stand alone’ stories, each of them focused on given character, while they all fit together into the “Forgotten Gods” verse. “Empress of Darkness” is Nephthys and her fight for love. After year living under the roof of someone who is not able to love her, her chance at happiness finally comes, when the past catch with her. Torn between Heka and Seth, Nephthys takes her decision. But going back to Karnak is only the first step into her road to regain once more the trust of the Gods.

Greenwood successes in bring Ancient Egyptian Mythology tropes to the general public and imbuing the Ancient Egyptian Gods with a character and personality of their own. The story while short (barely shy of 100 pages) is still filled with meaning, romance, and mythology as Nethphys willpower to prevail comes alive throughout the pages. Another great addiction to the “Forgotten Gods” series! Because let us be real, making the Ancient Egyptian world come alive in a paranormal setting is a feat that Greenwood achieves effortlessly.

[Linda (ellsky) Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nephthys and Heka's (and Seth's) story is told in this installment based in a modern Egyptian world of gods and goddesses. It was hard to read about Nephthys' situation in Seth's compound, as she is clearly a victim of thousands of years of abuse and she is fearful to leave as Seth is very unstable. Heka's love was sweet, but I don't know that it made much of a difference to her story arc, as she appeared to grow into her own person on her own, and made the decision to leave regardless of Heka's love and support. This book had a lot of difficult scenes to read, but as part of the overall series arc I think it was very important and informative. We found out a lot more about Seth's compound, and who might be there working with him, which will be valuable information for our "good guy team" to have going forward. I read this on Kobo Plus.

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our heroine is trapped in an unhappy situation, but escaping it is does not end her problems. It only changes the focus to a new one.

This is book six in the series. It works just fine as a standalone.

This is a fantasy romance story set in the time of Egyptian gods. The story is well written and easy to read, with a straightforward plot that still manages to have some unexpected twists to it. The characters are well developed and I found our heroine's dilemma made for a very engaging story. I really enjoyed the Egyptian mythology elements of the story and now want to go back and read the other books in this series to pick up more of that. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Aimie Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant short story. I love anything to do with Egyptian mythology, so I already knew I would like this. I jumped straight in with this book from the forgotten gods series as I had read that each can be read as a standalone. Whilst I can see how that can be so, I’m not sure I agree. There was limited world-building and limited explanation and detail given, but I feel, from the way this is written, that this perhaps comes at the start of the forgotten gods series. Luckily for me, my basic understanding of Egyptian mythology carried me through. Nevertheless, I had a nice time reading this and will read the other books in the series sprinkled throughout my other reading endeavours. 3 stars 🌟🌟🌟

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Nephthys and Heka. She is the consort of Seth trapped in a loveless union by her fear and his cruelty. He is sent to offer her a chance at regaining her freedom.
A quick easy read. There’s some continuing story lines from the Forgotten Gods Universe but nothing that takes away from this story, more like teases for other books to read. These are two gods of Ancient Egypt I’m not familiar with so it was interesting to read a version of their story. I’ve read a few of these books and my main dissatisfaction as always is length I wish there was more of each story.

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

[Victoria Golby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgotten Egyptian Gods #6

Nephthys is married to Seth but he doesn’t love her and she dislikes his behaviour and plans against the other gods. Nephthys is pleased when she realises she has a friend in Rhodopis and that the girl is acting as a spy for Heka, god of magic. He’s always been fond of her but can he persuade her to come back to Karnak with him, and will the other gods accept her?

The characters are well written with a light romance. It’s interesting to read about the different elements of Egyptian culture and mythology. I can’t wait to read more in this series, to see what Seth will do next.

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

[DeeDeeWReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about Seth’s ‘wife’, Nephthys and the trials she is going through. One of the 42 judges, she has always felt the pull and I can’t imagine that ignoring the call felt good. She deserves better, but will she ever be able to escape Seth’s compound? That answer might come in the form of another god who has snuck in to help.

This one made me so happy. I knew the outcome due to the ending of book 5, but it was still wonderful to see it come to happen in this one. Great read, great characters, I love reading anything about the Egyptian gods and goddesses.

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

[Debbie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Nephthys was unhappy with Seth and disliked the things he did. When Heka arrives in Seth's compound to get her to return to Karnak, she can't bring herself to leave yet. Nephthys and Heka start a relationship under Seth's nose. However when Seth punishes a boy, it is too much for Nephthys and she returns to Karnak with Heka and resumes her duties. It is interesting how this story brings life to Egyptian myths.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the mix of Egyptian mythology with love and suspense. Nephthys is in a loveless marriage. Her consort, Seth is more into power and showing how cruel he can be at any given moment. Heka appears to try and convince Nephthys to return to Karnak. She is reluctant because she does not know what Seth will do to retaliate against her. She realizes that she has feelings for Heka. They make a secret escape to Karnak. What will Seth do when he realizes that she is gone?

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

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prisoner of Seth!

Nephthys may be Seth's wife but she is as much a prisoner as all the others in his compound. She used to think she could help him change but it's too late. All she can do now is try to protect others from his wrath and paranoia. If there was a way to return to Karnak she would gladly go. When she is actually given a chance does she dare take it?

Such a good series! Nephthys deserved happiness and someone who treats her better than Seth. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgotten Gods book 6.
I’ve read this in a boxset and loved the modern version of this fiction Egyptian gods stories. This particular story is about Nephthys who escapes husband’s Seth’s compound & joins the other gods in Karnak. Reading these stories in order isn’t required as each story focus on a particular character or couple. We dive into Nephthys and her thoughts and her turn at love. Expectations is not the same as judgement.

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

[Amber Christiansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The romance was a low key second chance. The plot was interesting and ties in great with the others in the series. I would have liked to have seen more about Seth's inner workings, considering she's his wife, but overall, it was a good book and a good addition to the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review, but my opinions are my own.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming back to reality and taking the blinders off can sometimes be painful. Nephthys has been gone for a long time and now she's back at Karnak. There was tons of bad drama at Seth's, an escape, a recall tot he Hall fo Justice and a good life ahead. Heka, Isis and Ma'at all help Nephthys make a good come back. Looking forward to the next adventure at Karnak!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Buttercup1201 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being married to the god of chaos is not easy, especially if he’s cruel. Living in his compound, Nephthys has endured pained. She has a chance to be free but can she.

You can say the story has aspects of being in an abusive relationship. It shows how one can escape and have a second chance. It is extremely well written and the emotions are described perfectly. Found myself relating to Nephthys. A must read.

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

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was another great book by Ms. Greenwood, the forgotten gods series is one of my favorites. I enjoyed reading this book and think it may be the best in the series. Always enjoy reading anything from Ms. Greenwood and look forward to more.

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

[Vanessa Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have said it before and I will say it again i think Laura Greenwood uses magic to create her books, the world building is phenomenal it feels like im there , the mythology twists are fantastic and the characters draw me in while remaining a book i can devour in an afternoon. This is some type of magic and i love it

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 6 in Greenwoods Forgotten Gods. Based on Egyptian mythology, this is the story of Nephthys and Heka. Well written and captivating - if you love mythology, you will love this read and this series and this is a great addition. Mythological twists and turns and amazing characters.

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

[Kkhmonrai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another quick, captivating story of Egyptian gods and goddesses. The world-building is fantastic and the characters are compelling. I love the very real feeling the author creates, and that cover...just beautiful!

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

[Christina Sneeringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!
Nephthys and Heka's story is one I am unfamiliar with but I was enthralled by the rich story and amazing characters in the Egyptian pantheon of gods. This story will keep you glued to your seat until the last page.

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

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nephthys is Seth’s wife and no one understands why she stays with him. Heka comes to Seth’s compound to get Nephthys to leave and return to Karnak. There are games being played by the gods and you never know who is working for who. An interesting short story that was an enjoyable read.

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

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, that's where Nephthys currently is. Lots of things going on, but it's never to much for the story and always adds another element. Excited for the next in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marilyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nephthys is married to Seth but wants to leave and return to the Gods. After yeas Heka comes to help her and they leave and go to Karnak to be with the Gods again. But will they trust her now that she’s back? And things areas they seem so can she trust them?

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

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sixth book in the Forgotten Gods series. Nephthys is a captive in her husband Seth's compound, she finally gets up the nerve to leave an abusive situation. I enjoyed seeing Heka and Nephthys' story come together. The story is well written and held my interest. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nephthys is scared to leave Seth's compound until Heka turns up dressed as a slave. Heka helps Nephthys escape after she stands up to Seth for wanting to whip a child. This quick read has plenty of ego, espionage, and romance, ending in a HEA. Very highly recommended.

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

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Great Story in This Series

The world view is nicely consistent across all of the books in this series. This book is the story of Nephthys struggles to escape from her troubled marriage to Seth. With the help of Heka and a few others, she finally stands up to Seth and starts her journey back to her former self. Great character development. I enjoyed the book.

[Bookaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This can be titled ”Escaping Evil”.
An inspiring story, with wonderful characters.
An journey full of angst, sadness, dager, but most af all hope. And love.
A good addition to this series.

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