“To be fair, everyone was already dead when I got there.” When Valerie wakes in purgatory and is confronted by the valkyries, powerful beings assigned to safeguard the light, she can’t remember who she is. Even so, she’s certain she isn’t the traitor they all think. None seem more suspicious of her than the callous Jaemin, whose cruel treatment thrusts Valerie onto a desperate mission to clear her name and win back the trust of those she double-crossed. But Valerie’s quest for the truth leads her to discover something sinister—each of the light’s guardians hides a dark secret of their own. Valerie is Episode 1 of Brittni Chenelle’s Serialized Eleven Wings Series—definitive proof that little books can host colossal stories. This is only 1 out of 6 episodes, meant to be binged. It is not novel-length. Expect cliffhangers!

How can she prove her innocence when she can't remember her past? Valerie’s back and Thorn put me in charge of training her, so . . . yeah, I guess I’m in the best position to suss out if she’s innocent or guilty. FYI, she’s guilty AF. Hear me out, though: no one is this bad at training. Also, if she can’t remember anything, then why are sparks obviously flying between her and Jaemin? And third, whenever that creep Ajax crawls out of his hole in Nether, Valerie is suspiciously nearby. I don't know. Maybe I just don’t like the questions she’s asking. Questions about where I was the night of the eclipse. I’m not the one accused of being a traitor, so let’s all just keep our eyes on the guilty party.

When there’s nothing left to lose in life, it can’t hurt to trust a traitor. It’s impossible not to get dragged into Valerie's chaos. Just when I’m certain where she stands as a ruthless traitor, she dangles the one thing I’d die for in front of me. That's pretty convenient for someone with no memories, don’t you think? The team is in shambles, especially Jaemin. How could I have allowed Valerie to drive a wedge between us all again? Still, can she really deliver on her promise, or is she manipulating me for her own dark purposes? Only time will tell.

Who would have thought passing the torch could be such a dark affair? The Valkyries are down for the count, and I’m the only one who can save them. But getting involved might cost me my darkest secret. With lives hanging in the balance, it’s hard not to notice some of the Valkyries indulging in . . . ahem . . . carnal pleasures while the rest of us are forced to endure an eternity of pain and suffering on their behalf. It’s not about friends or foes at this point. It’s whether or not the team is worth saving at all.

What good are wings when the sky itself is ready to collapse? We’ve lost one of our own, and the dissension between the valkyries has done far more damage than the monsters attacking our realm. With the darkness closing in, everybody seems to be looking for one poor soul to blame. I have a decision to make: try to stop Valerie from pulling our realm into an eternal night or equip her with the skills to complete the treacherous task at hand. I have to believe it’s not too late to repair the damage caused by distrust, but if I’m wrong, the losses will be indelible . . . and spell the end.

It isn’t when you go but why and on whose terms... I promised myself I wouldn’t trust Valerie again. Not after I watched her betray us. Not after she disappeared. I had no indication that I’d ever see her again, so when she waltzed back into this realm, without remorse or an explanation, I swore I would treat her the way she deserved—like the traitor she is. But dammit, I can’t resist her. Never really could. The only thing left is to follow her to the very end of the world.