A Requiem for Fallen Stars by Hazel S. Wilkes

Lyra Izacalli does not clutch onto the jagged remnants of her past—she buries them deep beneath her skin.

To feel is to give power to the past—to let grief and memory carve through her like a blade. But Lyra refuses to let them win. She will not let the sharpened words of men who call themselves nobles and kings cut deeper than they deserve. If they cannot wound her, they cannot control her. And if they cannot control her, then freedom is hers to claim—despite her feeling anything but free. But when an unexpected opportunity arises, Lyra is thrust into the deadly entrance exams of an elite academy, where only nobility thrive. But first, she must strike a blood wager with a capricious king—one that could win Lyra her freedom or cost her life… if the exams don’t kill her first.

A world that rejects her. A forgotten journal that will redefine her. A band of dangerous wielders that hunt her. And then there is him—the one who found her, who should have been nothing more than a mentor—the person to unravel her.
But Lyra is not here for love. She is here to win. And as the walls she has spent years fortifying begin to fracture as truth after daunting truth break free—
The world will come to understand…
A girl who refuses to lose does not break.

She erupts.
A Requiem for Fallen Stars is a fast-paced, emotionally charged fantasy romance where power is a game, freedom comes at a price, and love is the most dangerous risk of all. With unique trials, forgotten knowledge, and a heroine who refuses to break, this novel is perfect for fans of high-stakes political intrigue, slow-burning tension, found family, and the kind of sharp-edged romance that lingers long after the final page.