Cursed Shards
Tales of Dark Folklore
Be careful what you wish for…
We’ve all heard childhood fairy tales and hearthside stories passed from generation to generation warning us of unseen dangers lurking in the dark forest, the glimpse of a future in watery reflections and to be wary of objects and people offering impossible gifts. The Fae are ageless beings dwelling between light and shadow, stalking the moonlit nights and wielding powerful gifts and curses.
Welcome to Cursed Shards, a collection of dark fantasy stories inspired by folklore, legends, fairy tales and mythology. Ten authors spin ten different tales ranging from deserts, icy mountains and dark forests to legendary warriors to the mythical Fae.
A realm where the landscape is as volatile as the rulers and an ancient cursed mirror, a once-powerful magical artefact created with blood magic was shattered before it could be used against the realm. A cursed mirror broken but never destroyed. Ten shards remain: now disguised and repurposed into ordinary items that are traded, stolen, and sold between rulers, common folk and the Fae. Whenever a shard re-appears its curse influences the decisions of all who come within reach.
Leanbh Pearson (she/her) lives on Ngunnawal Country in Canberra, Australia. An award-winning LGBTQI and disability author of horror and dark fantasy, her writing is inspired by folklore, fairytales, myth, history and climate. She’s judged the Australian Shadows Awards, Aurealis Awards, is an invited panelist and member of the HWA and SFWA. Leanbh’ s alter-ego is an academic in archaeology, evolution and prehistory.
