Green book titled 'Book One: The Abandoned Gods' with a gold illustration of a tree on the cover, authored by Alys Mackay.

Book One: The Abandoned Gods

The Keepers

If you’ve ever wanted a heroine who rises from ruin - this is for you.

For readers who love dark romantasy, this series follows broken gods, perilous loyalty, and the cost of choosing love in a mythic world—where every choice leaves a mark.

Perfect for those who crave character-driven fantasy with emotional intensity, slow-burn devotion, and high stakes that linger.

The book titled "The Keepers" by Alys Mackay, with a green cover featuring a gold embossed tree design and decorative borders.

Available April 2026

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Preorders are available through most major Book retailers.

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Meet the Characters

Silhouette of a person with styled hair wearing a cape or cloak.

Coeus

He loved her first.

A steady light that asks
nothing— and gives freely.

Silhouette of a man with long, wavy hair and a beard, facing left.

Tsunala

She is life itself—
powerful, fractured,
and awakening to what was taken from her.

Aridanos

He walks with shadows
at his back,
holding the darkness
so it never reaches her.

Silhouette of a woman with a braided hairstyle, facing left.

Synopsis

Once upon a time:
Once upon a time, a young woman awakens bound to the back of a horse, her memories gone save for her name, carried toward a life of slavery in a world she does not recognise.

Every day:
Every day, as her magic grows stronger and her understanding of herself deepens, safety becomes an illusion, forcing her to survive by instinct while searching for meaning in a life shaped by deception.

Until one day:
Until one day, she realises she is not alone, that her twin brother, her sister, and a scattered found family exist somewhere beyond her reach, and that finding them may be the key to reclaiming what was stolen from them all.

Because of that:
Because of that, two men come to stand beside her, one offering light, steadiness, and the promise of who she once was, the other mirroring the shadows she carries and the woman she is becoming, and through them, she begins to unravel a devastating truth: even the divine are driven by love, loss, and the need to belong.

Because of that:
Because of that, she discovers she is not of this world at all, and that it was mortals, not gods, who betrayed what they loved, seizing divine power for themselves and now hunting her family to keep it.

Until finally:
Until finally, she begins to understand that the world does not need saving — the gods do — and that it is their refusal to value humanity that places everything at risk.

BOOK EXCERPT

“Let me get this straight.”
Leaning down into his space, I started ticking points sarcastically off my fingers.

“Your plan for me is to sell me as a sex slave. If I am this buyer’s type, they might buy me. And if his reputation is correct, I might be safe, and might even find freedom? There is a shit tone of if and might in that sentence, Kitor, for it to be a solid plan! Also, what sort of type do I need to be, for this buyer to be interested?”

Kitor’s cheeks flamed a hot red. “The type that is a virgin.”

Fuck.

Things must really be desperate if Kitor thought that this was the best plan . .

Reading Order

Green book cover titled "The Keepers" by Alys Mackay, labeled as Book One: The Abandoned Gods, featuring a gold-embossed tree symbol in the center.

Book 1

The Keepers

20 April 2026

Pre order now on your favorite eBook platform

Cover of a book titled 'The Guardians' by Alys Mackay, part of a series called 'Book Two: The Abandoned Gods,' featuring an illustration of a human heart.

Book 2

The Guardians

February 2027

Red book with gold angel wings emblem on cover.

Book 3

The Oath Breakers

Commenced drafting

Why this book, now?

The Keepers speaks to a moment where many of us are rebuilding ourselves in a world that keeps shifting. Readers are questioning identity, power, and belonging, asking who they are beneath the stories they were handed.

At its heart, this is a story about being erased and choosing what comes next. About reclaiming voice, forging connection, and becoming whole on your own terms. It mirrors the emotional questions so many readers are carrying right now, through fantasy that doesn’t just escape the moment, but reflects it.

It’s escapist, yes—but it’s also deeply relevant to the emotional landscape we’re all navigating right now.