Sometimes, the only way to combat fear is to hold tighter to what the heart values most, shielding it from any shadow but also from any light. Nothing but love can break this seal and release what has been frozen in time. At least, that's how the saying goes…

There are actions and reactions to every given situation, ones that point the way down a road toward destiny. But what happens when the lines between right and wrong become unclear? Fate is now threatened by judgment and doubt. Anything that once held meaning is now forgotten in the shadows. The very light that was supposed to offer its guidance is now tainted with corruption.

Secrets from the past are decaying the land, whispering of a transformation that will bring forth a change in power. All new beginnings, however, have consequences that threaten to spread darkness. Before the world is turned upside down, a new path must be created, one filled with truth and perspective. Yet, time is running out. How can love melt the ice of hopelessness when all hope seems lost?

It's been ten years since Cyrus and Octavia defeated Mara that fateful night. Now commander of the Solaria Knights, twenty-seven-year-old Octavia spends her days training young recruits, including Noel, a boy who displays ice magic abilities.

Yet when clock smith Demetrius is found murdered— covered in shadow and encased in a block of ice that won't melt— Octavia begins to have her suspicions about Noel. A few days later, Demetrius' sister Rhea is found dead in the same manner.

Despite the mounting evidence against him, a nagging voice in Octavia's head tells her that there's more to this story.

Crippled with fear and self-doubt, Octavia must find it within herself to free Noel— and together they must find out who the real murderer is. But in doing so, they uncover long-buried secrets and revive people who Octavia and Noel thought were gone forever.

Twins of the Eclipse: Frozen in Time is about mystery, betrayal, and a longing for equality. Not everything is as it appears to be, and no secret can be hidden forever. Truth always has a way of revealing itself in due time.

It is a story for those of all ages who enjoy the unexpected and appreciate a tale of love and self-discovery. Each character discovers their own set of flaws, which acts as a pillar to their identity but also reacts as a barrier to their potential. They soon learn it's never too late to become who they were meant to be, despite criticism, and create their unique path in the world.

Anyone can accomplish greatness with a little faith. Fear may freeze the heart. Mistakes may shatter confidence. But love acts as a way to melt the ice of doubt and embrace one's true self— flaws and all.

Christopher Woods is a fantasy writer from Canton, Ohio. He is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a master's degree in English and Creative Writing. His first novella, Twins of the Eclipse, won a Story Monsters Royal Dragonfly Honorable Mention Book Award in the Science Fiction and Fantasy category. When he is not writing, he can be found gardening, baking cookies, and teaching a sock puppet master class for the woodland creatures living outside his home.