Waking With Wings

Callypso "Callie" Lillis wakes in the Night King's palace, her body transformed by her ordeal with the mad Fauna King, Karnon: she now has black, iridescent wings, scales, and claws. Haunted by trauma and insecurity, she's also bound as soulmate to Desmond Flynn, the Bargainer and King of Night. Their bond is complicated—she can't feel it as others do, and her magic is incompatible with fae. Stuck in the Otherworld, unable to return to Earth, Callie must navigate her new reality, her relationship with Des, and the loss of her old life.

Training in the Night

Des insists Callie learn to fight, since her siren glamour doesn't work on fae. Training is grueling, both physically and emotionally, as Callie must adapt to her new body and powers. Des's methods are tough but caring, pushing her to reclaim her agency and strength after her victimization. Their dynamic is playful, sensual, and sometimes fraught, as Callie's insecurities and Des's secrets create tension. The training is not just about combat, but about Callie reclaiming her sense of self.

Court of Shadows

Des introduces Callie to his world, including his friend Malaki, Lord of Dreams. She's thrust into the politics of the Night Court, where her presence as a human mate is both scandalous and dangerous. The court is tense after Karnon's death, and the Fauna fae demand justice. Callie's trauma resurfaces as she's forced to confront her captors' kind, but Des's fierce protection and the court's intrigue draw her deeper into fae society.

The Queen's Challenge

The Fauna fae deliver a gruesome message—severed heads of Night diplomats—and demand Des's abdication. Des responds with terrifying power, unleashing a nightmare creature on the messenger. Callie is horrified by the violence and flees, realizing the darkness Des wields as king. Their relationship is tested by the brutality of fae justice and the moral ambiguity of power.

Nightmares and Prophecies

Callie is plagued by nightmares—visions of Karnon, her stepfather, and a mysterious voice promising her death. The casket children, born of the sleeping women, echo these threats. Callie and Des investigate, realizing the children's parentage is not as it seems, and that the true enemy may be a soul-stealing force still at large. The prophecy of Des's rise and fall looms over them, hinting at greater dangers.

The Casket Children

Callie visits the casket children, who display disturbing powers and knowledge. She and Des discover that Karnon is not their father, and that the true perpetrator is still free. The testimonies of the rescued women reveal a pattern: the longer the captivity, the deeper the magic's hold. The children's lack of Fauna traits points to a different, darker magic at work.

Secrets in the Library

Bored and restless, Callie explores the Night Kingdom's libraries, uncovering secrets about Des's origins, the royal harem, and the politics of the fae realms. She learns about the ancient rivalries, the nature of mate bonds, and the history of the kingdoms. Her research deepens her understanding of Des, but also reveals the many secrets he keeps.

Flight and Freedom

Des takes Callie flying, teaching her to use her wings and showing her the floating islands of his kingdom. Their journey is both exhilarating and intimate, as Callie experiences freedom and acceptance in her new form. They visit Phyllia, the Land of Dreams, and Barbos, the City of Thieves, where Callie meets Des's old friends and learns more about his past as an outcast and survivor.

The Land of Dreams

In Phyllia, Des and Callie share moments of vulnerability, discussing their histories, secrets, and desires. Their relationship deepens as they confront their fears and hopes for the future. Callie's friendship with Temper, her best friend from Earth, is rekindled when Temper arrives in the Otherworld, bringing chaos and loyalty. The trio's dynamic is tested by fae politics and the looming threat of the Thief of Souls.

Barbos: City of Thieves

In Barbos, Callie is gifted daggers and learns to see her new features as strengths, not curses. She witnesses Des's rougher side and the criminal underbelly of fae society. Their bond is tested by jealousy, secrets, and the ever-present danger of being outsiders. Callie's confidence grows as she embraces her power and identity.

The Sacred Oath

The Solstice festival brings all the fae kingdoms together. Des and Callie must navigate dangerous politics, as Mara, Queen of Flora, and Janus, King of Day, challenge their bond and accuse Des of the disappearances plaguing the realms. Mara tries to manipulate Callie with lilac wine, a magical elixir that would make her immortal and fully fae. Des refuses, fearing the loss of Callie's humanity and the risk of making her vulnerable to fae magic.

Solstice Begins

The Solstice is a week of balls, rituals, and diplomacy. Callie and Des are at the center of attention, their relationship both envied and resented. The Fauna and Flora fae are hostile, and the Day King's presence is unsettling—Callie recognizes him as her abductor. A mate challenge erupts, and Des's violence and devotion are on full display. The festival's peace is a thin veneer over deep-seated rivalries and secrets.

The Flora Queen's Game

Mara's court is a place of beauty and brutality. Callie witnesses the enslavement and punishment of humans, and when a human woman is to be whipped for being raped, Callie intervenes, taking the punishment herself. Des arrives, unleashing his wrath and breaking the neutrality of Solstice. The event exposes the hypocrisy and cruelty of fae society, and Callie's courage inspires both fear and loyalty.

The Whip and the Wings

Callie's wings are broken as she shields the human woman, enduring agony and humiliation. Des's rage is unleashed, and he exacts brutal retribution. Temper heals Callie, and the human servants begin to see her as a symbol of hope. The incident marks a turning point—Callie is no longer a victim, but a leader and a queen in her own right.

The Bleeding Oaks

Callie investigates the sacred oak forest, discovering that the missing soldiers are entombed alive within the trees, their bodies feeding the forest's rot. The Green Man, Mara's consort, is revealed to be an imposter—the Thief of Souls, a body-stealing entity who has orchestrated the abductions across kingdoms. The true Green Man is long dead, and the Thief has been hiding in plain sight.

The Thief of Souls

Callie faces the Thief of Souls, who reveals his ability to possess bodies and his role in the disappearances. He wounds Callie, intending to force her to drink lilac wine and make her soul vulnerable to his magic. Des battles his own resurrected father, Galleghar, who is allied with the Thief. The battle is brutal, and Callie is mortally wounded.

The Father Returns

Galleghar, Des's father, returns from the dead, seeking to destroy his son and claim Callie. The prophecy of Des's rise and fall comes to life as father and son clash, and the Thief of Souls manipulates events to his advantage. Callie's courage and Des's love are tested to the breaking point as they fight for each other and the fate of the realms.

Death and Lilac Wine

Mortally wounded, Callie dies in Des's arms. Des, desperate, gives her lilac wine, making her immortal and fully bonded to him. Their magic fuses, completing their soulmate bond and saving her life—but at a cost. The Thief of Souls's plan succeeds: Callie is now vulnerable to his magic, and the threat is far from over. The kingdoms are left in mourning, the sleeping women and casket children stir, and the true war is yet to come.

Characters

Callypso "Callie" Lillis

Callie is a human siren, marked by trauma and transformation. Her journey is one of reclaiming agency after victimization, learning to wield her new powers, and navigating the treacherous politics of the fae. Her relationship with Des is passionate, fraught with secrets, and ultimately redemptive. Callie's psychological arc is about moving from victimhood to self-acceptance and leadership, embracing both her darkness and her light.

Desmond "Des" Flynn

Des is the enigmatic, powerful fae king known as the Bargainer. He is fiercely protective, deeply wounded by his past, and struggles with the darkness within him. His love for Callie is both his salvation and his vulnerability. Des's arc is about confronting his legacy, his father's sins, and the cost of power. He is both a monster and a man, learning to trust and to let himself be loved.

Temperance "Temper" Darling

Temper is Callie's best friend, a powerful sorceress with a sharp tongue and a fierce heart. She brings chaos and humor, but also unwavering loyalty. Her presence grounds Callie and challenges the fae, and her own struggles with power and morality mirror Callie's journey.

Malaki, Lord of Dreams

Malaki is a fae lord, Des's confidant, and a bridge between Callie and the fae world. He is pragmatic, loyal, and provides a counterbalance to Des's volatility. His relationship with Temper adds depth and levity to the story.

Mara Verdana, Queen of Flora

Mara is the cunning, seductive queen whose court is both alluring and cruel. She embodies the seductive danger of fae power, using beauty and manipulation as weapons. Her own vulnerabilities are revealed as her kingdom unravels and her mate is exposed as an imposter.

The Green Man / Thief of Souls

The Thief of Souls is the true antagonist, a being who possesses bodies and sows chaos across the realms. He is cunning, patient, and nearly unstoppable, orchestrating the disappearances and manipulating the prophecy. His psychological profile is that of a predator who delights in suffering and control.

Galleghar Nyx

Galleghar is the former King of Night, a monster who killed his own children and haunted Des's life. His return from death fulfills the prophecy and forces Des to confront his deepest fears and the legacy of violence.

Janus Soleil, King of Day

Janus is the radiant, enigmatic King of Day, suspected of involvement in the abductions. His rivalry with Des is both personal and political, and his own secrets add layers to the central mystery.

Aetherial

Aetherial is a fae soldier who survived Karnon's prison. Her presence is a reminder of the ongoing trauma and the need for justice. She provides insight into the fae world and the cost of survival.

The Casket Children

The children born of the sleeping women are both victims and harbingers of doom. Their eerie powers and knowledge hint at the deeper magic at play, and their existence challenges the boundaries between innocence and monstrosity.

Plot Devices

Prophecy and Foreshadowing

The prophecy of Galleghar Nyx's rise and fall, and the repeated warnings in Callie's dreams, create a sense of inevitability and tension. Foreshadowing is used to build suspense, hinting at betrayals, transformations, and the true nature of the enemy. The prophecy's ambiguity allows for twists and reversals, keeping the characters—and readers—off balance.

Duality and Mirrors

The story is structured around dualities: light and dark, victim and survivor, human and fae, love and violence. Callie and Des mirror each other's traumas and strengths, while the Thief of Souls and Galleghar represent the shadow side of power and legacy. The mate bond is both a source of salvation and a potential curse.

Body Horror and Transformation

Callie's transformation—wings, scales, claws—serves as a metaphor for the scars of trauma and the struggle for self-acceptance. The casket children, the sleeping women, and the body-stealing villain all reinforce the theme of bodies as battlegrounds for power, identity, and agency.

Political Intrigue and Court Drama

The Solstice festival and the fae courts provide a backdrop of shifting alliances, hidden agendas, and social hierarchies. The mate challenge, the oaths, and the manipulation of tradition are used to explore the costs of power and the dangers of othering.

The Bargain and the Beads

The magical bracelet of beads represents the debts Callie owes Des, and the tension between love and coercion. The bargains they strike are both playful and deadly serious, reflecting the complexities of consent, trust, and power in their relationship.

Analysis

A Strange Hymn is a dark, lush fantasy that explores trauma, agency, and the complexities of love in a world where power is both seductive and dangerous. Laura Thalassa uses the language of fae bargains, body horror, and court intrigue to examine how survivors reclaim their strength and identity. The novel interrogates the costs of power—personal, political, and magical—while refusing to offer easy answers. Callie's journey from victim to queen is both literal and metaphorical, as she learns to wield her darkness without being consumed by it. The mate bond, with its potential for both salvation and subjugation, is a central metaphor for the risks and rewards of intimacy. The story's unresolved ending, with the Thief of Souls still at large and the prophecy unfulfilled, underscores the ongoing nature of healing and resistance. Ultimately, A Strange Hymn is about the courage to face the monsters within and without, and the hope that love—imperfect, hard-won, and fiercely defended—can be a force for transformation.

Last updated: May 10, 2025