Ophelia Kee's Dream

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

A Story Starting - August 28, 2026

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:15:35 GMT

A Story Starting - August 28, 2026

Dear Reader,

The day job has reclaimed my time. I wanted to share a piece of writing that beld onto the page over the summer. I’m not sure how this goes forward, but I know the dragon at the heart of the tale. The thing I think is funny is that Death is the storyteller. I’m not giving up on writing in the dream, far from it, but I am experimenting with video storytelling more and more.

I hope you’ll enjoy this snippet of a work in progress, the strange tiger version of a script.

Night Terror

Chapter 1 A Strange Bard

Kharon Thanatos stood slowly, like an old man whose joints ached from an impending storm.

No storm pressed the horizon, and he was an immortal god.

The King of Death put his weight on the staff of the scythe as his robes shifted.

He always appeared in his skeletal form when he crossed realms into the Leaindeail.

When he stepped in front of the fire ignited by a Valkyrie,

an expectant hush with an edge of fear fell over those gathered on the patio.

Perhaps his reputation deserved that fright.

Yet, they had gathered after the Run on a chilled Saturday evening in December to hear a story.

A masterful minstrel could use the fire’s energy to enchant tales..

He shifted his cowl away from his skull and heard the banshee’s voice.

Maybe you should have brought a staff instead.

And look like a goth wizard? No, thank you. I’m Death. If the magic fails…

The scythe’s still sharp.

Geraldine finished his thought with a tinkling laugh floating on the breeze.

The lingering edge of fear eased with her light laughter infecting the atmosphere.

A man who wielded magic and skipped weapons practice often met the Ferryman in his youth.

There were worse things than a meeting with himself in the dream.

Kharon practiced arms daily, as the magic and the steel which offered a banshee safety.

Because an old god needed her love, nothing threatened Geraldine Windwraith.

He let his voice project over the crowd with magic.

I hadn’t expected so many of you tonight.

I’m humbled that you came to the fire to hear an old god’s musings.

Thank you for choosing to share your evening with me.

He waited until the polite applause faded.

When Geraldine neared, he grasped her hand as errant magic clothed the banshee.

The two of them took a slight bow.

May I introduce Geraldine Windwraith?

My banshee queen has agreed to influence the atmosphere for a more immersive experience.

More applause erupted as Geraldine let herself fade away into the breeze.

The magic deepened the darkness around the fire.

Thanatos wove the ancient magic of the bards.

Long ago, in an age before the present, when mortal men feared the power of magic,

A great battle in a war that never fully ceased took place at the foot of Mount Iolair.

The decimation of an army at the hands of a man who preferred peace

became the makings of a legend so powerful that many dismissed the story as fiction.

I played a part in that battle, and I offer the tale the way it really happened…

Thank you for stepping into the dream once more. If you are listening on YouTube, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more original stories and audio adventures! Special thanks to @OkMusicWriters for Enter The Dream. I’m neck-deep in bookish stuff, editing and posting chapters of Blood Dark, but I will talk to you again next week. Leave your comments and questions. I’d love to hear from you. If you found this post worthy, please feel free to share it. I hope you have a lovely weekend and will discover a grand story. Please remember when you read, be kind and leave your reviews. Until my next post, welcome to the dream...

Be Careful!

Happy Reading,

Bye-Bye,

Ophelia Kee

Want More?

Download your FREE Gift!

Thread

Buy books, art, music and more:

Payhip

Buy books from retailers:

Subscribe and Read it all as I Write:

Read the Draoithe Saga

Drop by and say, Hello!

Email the author: opheliakee@opheliakee.com

Follow Ophelia Kee on X/Twitter

Follow Ophelia Kee on Threads

Like Ophelia Kee on Facebook

Like Ophelia Kee on Instagram

Follow Ophelia Kee on Pinterest

Like and subscribe to Ophelia Kee on YouTube

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Sneak Peek at Grim Dark

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 13:15:42 GMT

Once a Knight

Sinclair, just before the Winter Solstice, 1737

When he reported to the wall in the inky blackness of the early morning, after kissing a still-sleeping Lyella on the forehead, Blane shook his head.

“The Elders want you. You aren’t manning the wall today, detective. Rasul is coming to replace you. I’ll wait.”

The vampires he’d trained stopped him before he could take up his usual position. Kai and Landon both clasped forearms with him and stood firm with Blane. His vampire knights would wait together for the old unicorn to take his watch. They had bonded and worked well together. He trusted them.

Sinclair turned and ran to the elves’ audience room. The elders gathered around a manuscript that lay in pieces on a table. They had several pages of notes discussing something about balancing the magic of the dream when the guards admitted him.

“Detective, welcome. Join us. We have an offer for you.”

Elder Rosalyn beckoned him to the table.

He spent the next hour reading the Unlikely Kings’ prophecy, asking far too many questions, and offering his thoughts to the elves. Then they explained who Leland Shade was and how he fit into the prophecy.

“He must alter things. It can’t happen exactly as the prophecy states. This situation is why we retained your services, Detective. We need you to find him, aid him in accomplishing his task, but he mustn’t become a tyrant.”

Elder Pliny finally got to the reason he wasn’t manning the wall.

“You’re sending me after him?”

Sinclair whistled. Where was Leland Shade?

“If you will aid us, yes. You would need to forgo swearing the fealty oath. It’s dangerous to send field agents out while under oath. Gryphon Castle has lost too many knights doing that. Times have changed,” Elder Pliny said.

“Of course, you’ll receive your salary and a stipend for travel. Lyella will accompany you, and we shall see that you have any provisions you may require. You’ll need to report, but Leland Shade is a key player in this. If he goes off the rails, things might go bad for everyone in the dream.”

Elder Rosalyn was serious, and the weight of the situation sat heavily on the shoulders of those in the room.

Elder Nigel stared at him hard.

“Will you accept the mission?”

“I owe the debt, which can never be repaid, not once, but twice. I accept the mission.”

Sinclair clasped forearms with Elder Nigel, and they discussed the preparations.

When Sinclair left the audience chamber, he sought Lyella. She had been in favor of leaving Asylum, and she would get her wish. They would depart after the winter solstice.

Not swearing an oath didn’t make Sinclair a different man. He owed the debts he owed, loved the woman he bonded with, and had a mission to accomplish. He was still a knight.

Just before the Winter Solstice, 1737–Lyella

She woke to find Sinclair gone, manning the wall. Their life together had been like a gorgeous dream. She’d settled into a routine: reading everything in Asylum’s library, volunteering to help keep the infirmary clean and ready to receive patients, and taking care of Sinclair.

When he arrived before midday, as she was hanging the wash to dry in the sun, it surprised Lyella to see him so early. Sinclair dragged her away from her chores to pull her close and kiss her. She melted into him.

He loved her, and she loved him.

The gryphon she’d become knew her life mate. His nearness excited her, but when he set her feet back on the grass, the thrilling buzz faded. She needed to know what had altered their routine.

“I’ve got news for you. We need to pack for the trip. I have a mission. We must go after Leland Shade.”

“What? Why? I mean, I wanted a change of pace, but is it dangerous? I thought Leland Shade didn’t matter.”

Stunned, Lyella nervously clasped her hands together, thinking aloud. She had been in favor of leaving Asylum and traveling, but she hadn’t believed they would chase anyone. Was Leland Shade a threat? An enemy?

“I’m sworn to serve Asylum, Lyella. You know that. I accepted the mission. I owe debts I can never pay, no matter how many years I serve the elves, but I won’t swear fealty on the solstice. That way I’m free to maneuver however I need to. Leland Shade isn’t an enemy. He needs my help. First, I have to find him. I need you to come with me. I’ll protect you. Say you’ll accompany me.”

He waited for her to decide, but there was no decision. Sinclair was her life. Without him, Lyella no longer wanted to exist. She slowly nodded and smiled at him. Sinclair was what he’d always been for her, and he’d listened to her needs and taken her desires into consideration when he accepted his mission.

He’d spoken too fast, in a hurry to ease her fears. He begged her to leave Asylum and join him on his mission, worried she would refuse.

Once a knight, always so, and Sinclair Gautier was Lyella Grisham’s knight.

Buy Grim Dark

This blog features random scenes from works in progress or within the Draoithe Saga by Ophelia Kee. These works are primarily urban fantasy and paranormal romance with magical realism, dark themes, and fated mates sprinkled throughout. Here you will find scenes which have been or are yet to be published as of the time of posting, and these chapters may require further editing.

It’s a look behind the curtain, a sneak peek if you will, at scenes from stories Ophelia Kee drafts. If you want polished complete stories, this is not the right place. But if you enjoy bits and bobs of things yet to come or things that have come to pass, won’t fall in love with a rough version, and want a taste of the dream before the magic fully coalesces(d), then you have found the spot.

Thank you for visiting the scrying pool of the Draoithe Saga. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the future or the past of the dream.

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Dragon Medicine Quote

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:15:11 GMT

It’s more than a story; it’s an experience. Welcome to the dream…

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Buy Dragon Medicine!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Nephilim's Claim Story Skeleton

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:16:09 GMT

Have you ever wondered about the bones of a story? What did the outline look like before the characters hijacked it?

Shall we investigate Nephilim’s Claim from within the dream?

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Buy Nephilim's Claim!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Birthday Book Gifts - August 21, 2026

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:15:45 GMT

Birthday Book Gifts - August 21, 2026

Dear Reader,

The day job called at the beginning of the month, and I answered. I got things set up in the new classroom and thought I was ready. Then the scholars walked in and the germs wrecked me. After all the renovations on the house, we found a warping wall in the hall closet, and the contractor says there’s probably a leak and mold. When it rains… Never mind all that misery. It’s too depressing.

I desperately need a pick me up. I want to celebrate my birthday. This old writing tiger doesn’t really care about milestones much, and I don’t actually celebrate getting older now that I am older. The situation seemed to call for something, and that’s as good‌ an excuse as any to give away an ebook.

Danika Klein shouldn’t exist, but that isn’t her fault. When a mistake leads to her abduction, a cursed human escapes her kidnappers to be rescued by a man who’s more ghostly warrior than his appearance first seems.

Rorik Skog Vættr is an exile, a draugr, sworn to a man doomed to remain part of the godless dark. After battling the torture of a tragic past, he claims a forest preserve as a sanctuary and facilitates meetings between immortals of the Spirit Realm and those of the Leaindeail.

When Danika falls into Rorik’s life, the dream tilts, and a ghost giant falls for a cursed woman in desperate need. His feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness block the romance between them until her abductors come looking for her.

Haunted Echoes is the first novella in a prequel trilogy in the dark urban fantasy miniseries Mystic Dark. Set in the dream, this spinoff story from the Draoithe Saga tells the tale of a draugr and how he chooses the damned for his mate. If you love powerful magic-wielding ghosts and sexy cursed damsels in distress, read Haunted Echoes.

Celebrate with me. Grab your FREE copy of Haunted Echoes directly from me at OpheliaKee.com until the end of the month!

Thank you for stepping into the dream once more. I’m neck-deep in bookish stuff, editing and posting chapters of Blood Dark. Leave your comments and questions. I’d love to hear from you. If you found this post worthy, please feel free to share it. I hope you have a lovely weekend and will discover a grand story. Please remember when you read, be kind and leave your reviews. Until my next post, welcome to the dream...

Be Careful!

Happy Reading,

Bye-Bye,

Ophelia Kee

Want More?

Download your FREE Gift!

Thread

Buy books, art, music and more:

Payhip

Buy books from retailers:

Subscribe and Read it all as I Write:

Read the Draoithe Saga

Drop by and say, Hello!

Email the author: opheliakee@opheliakee.com

Follow Ophelia Kee on X/Twitter

Follow Ophelia Kee on Threads

Like Ophelia Kee on Facebook

Like Ophelia Kee on Instagram

Follow Ophelia Kee on Pinterest

Like and subscribe to Ophelia Kee on YouTube

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Lord of Dragons Story Skeleton

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:15:23 GMT

Have you ever wondered about the bones of a story? What did the outline look like before the characters hijacked it?

Shall we investigate Lord of Dragons from within the dream?

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Buy Lord of Dragons!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Buy Gryphon Knight Redeemed!

Gryphon Knight Redeemed After Party

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:15:06 GMT

Have you read Gryphon Knight Redeemed in the Draoithe Saga and come away with a classic case of immersion aftereffect?

Let me guess, there are questions which remain unanswered even as the magic expands, adding another layer to the dream.

The grand desire to turn the page to discover what happened next ended with the last leaf turned.

If you’re asking where the remedy for the book hangover is, you know the answer: Read another story.

But you aren’t ready for Dragon Medicine, not yet.

The dust needs to settle before you pick up the next volume.

So you have found your way here.

You aren’t alone.

Even the author can’t get enough.

As you hear this, Ophelia Kee writes on.

But allow me to offer you a possibility, a reflection on the tale you recently finished, and a way to revisit the story to ease the story blues.

Welcome to the Draoithe Saga After Party.

Warning: Spoiler Alerts ahead. Turn back now if you wish to read the story blind.

It’s more than a story; it’s an experience. Welcome to the dream…

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Sneak Peek at Midnight Magic

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:16:15 GMT

Remember

Drake

So long he’d waited. The meeting was over. He’d done his duty. The reunion of Dross and Emily had been exciting. The truth had revealed itself.

The fire burned in his veins for her as they sat side by side in the meeting. He held her hand and burned with desire, but he couldn’t get to her. His fated mate.

She’d always been the one for him. She was sexy and dangerous. In their lives as humans, he’d never had the nerve to approach her.

Drake had feared her rejection. Lorelai was a warrior. A shield maiden. They usually refused men.

She had certainly never accepted one into her bed in the time that he had known her. He wondered if her lover had died or jilted her. She had certainly not been a virgin.

Lorelai was as brash as any man. She knew her strengths and worked at correcting her weaknesses. She never walked away from a fight. Part of that was because the men always tested her.

She was talented, and challenges to her skill rarely ended in a man winning. Lorelai could hand a man his ego quickly. True fights had usually ended in her opponent’s death. Underestimating Lorelai was a mistake.

“Are you still mine, Lorelai?”

The door to the rooms she occupied closed behind them.

He drank in the sight of her. At five feet nine, she was a tall woman, all toned and beautifully muscled. He had watched her move since he saw her again.

She was light on her feet, always in fluid motion with pure grace. Watching her had always stirred a passion in his soul. But patience came easily for a man who little understood women.

She turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Are you not still mine?”

Jealous, possessive territorialism radiated from her being, soothing his fears and enticing him to claim her again. He needed to hear her words and know her again. He felt inadequate to ‌compete with a rival for her affection.

Lorelai had long ago learned to flirt and used her beauty to her advantage. She also had no problem casting an appraising eye over anything she found interesting.

If she’d found something she wanted a taste of, it would’ve been hers. Of that, Drake was sure. He’d seen how other men looked at her.

Her black hair was loose around her shoulders. Black hair that in the light hinted at a blue so dark that it was black, midnight magic. Drake itched to touch it and tighten his fist in it to hold her still while he took her.

Still, he hesitated, unsure. The old shyness was always a hindrance, even if not exactly the barrier it had once been.

Drake knew how she was. It was part of the attraction he’d always had for her. He also knew that none would likely touch her without her permission.

Nine-hundred-twenty-nine years was a long time. He wouldn’t be angry if she’d taken a lover. It wouldn’t change how he felt about her, or what they were to each other. But he wouldn’t be sharing her. Not now that he had her again. Better if he didn’t touch her than learn she might prefer another.

“I’ve always been only yours.”

She was the only woman he’d ever been with. Lorelai blinked.

“What!?”

Had she not known?

He’d never spoken of it, but it was still true. She stared at him for a long moment. He waited for her to speak again.

He’d been clear when he spoke. Her question didn’t mean that she wanted him to restate his words. Surprise only. He studied her.

“I was your first?”

That seemed to matter to her. Maybe it should’ve mattered once, but he didn’t see how. He no longer needed to consider the questions of marriage and children.

“My first and ‌only. I was never comfortable with it. I mean, women. They confuse me a lot. What they want. How I’m supposed to act. But you were always easy to talk to. Not like other women.”

Lying didn’t occur to him.

She knew him. Lorelai had seen him beaten, broken, cut, and bleeding. She knew him surly, drunk, bloodthirsty, and sober. They’d fought side by side too many times to count. Drake found it curious that his confession appeared to catch her so off guard.

He’d always been a quiet man of few words. When other men made crude remarks, he learned to laugh and nod at the right times rather than offer a blush.

His personal life had remained his affair. She had to know that he never took a woman to bed in all the time that she knew him as a human. He hadn’t expected what she said next.

“I chose to be a shield maiden after he forced me when I was fourteen. He was much older, married. He knew he could get away with what he did. I knew I could never accept that again. I’d always been good with a bow. The spear was easy if it weren’t too heavy. I made my weapons. I’m tall for a woman, but the men’s weapons were usually too heavy even so.”

Lorelai paused and looked away from him. He let the silence linger, hoping she’d speak again. He needed to know her.

“When I’d gotten pretty good, I weaseled my way into the good graces of a few older warriors. They thought that I’d learn a little and let them ‘protect’ me for a favor. I learned a lot. I protected myself, and no one got any favors.”

Lorelai stared into her past at things he couldn’t see.

Drake continued to study her as he processed her revelation. He could guess at the way men must’ve treated her, and the way she would’ve had to defend herself. He didn’t doubt that she had killed often in self-defense.

Lorelai was beautiful. She closed her eyes, and her head tilted to one side briefly. She’d gifted him with the missing piece to the puzzle that had been her life before they’d met.

“I didn’t know.”

He’d suspected something of the sort, considering how closed off she’d always been about anything she considered her private life.

Her quiet demeanor when it was only the two of them excited him in a way that had never made sense to him. It was as if he could feel her intellect. She had always been the only woman he had ever felt comfortable talking to, the only woman he had ever wanted to talk to.

“I know. No one knew. At first, I fought and learned for almost six years after I made my decision to give up ‌hearth and home before I saw you. It was the only life I could have that would allow me to shield myself from that kind of hurt again.”

She stared at him for a long moment.

“Do you remember?”

Thank you for visiting the scrying pool of the Draoithe Saga. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the future or the past of the dream.

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Buy Gryphon Knight Redeemed!

Gryphon Knight Redeemed Story Description

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:16:19 GMT

Gryphon Knight Redeemed

Volume 4

Druid Dominion

“Mine to me.” Three words that will seal their souls and ignite a dangerous magic.

Leilah never asked to be immortal. Thrust into a dark fantasy realm as a newly turned vampire, fear and the chaotic magic of the Draoithe pack paralyze her. Her only anchor is Marchand, a lethal French gryphon shifter whose patience is as boundless as his primal possessiveness. He offers her the one thing she craves: absolute protection. But his sanctuary comes with a price—her complete trust and surrender.

As Marchand guides her through the highly sensual, euphoric awakening of their magical union and blood bond, Leilah discovers the intoxicating power of yielding to her alpha. Yet, outside their bedroom sanctuary, forces are gathering. With an upcoming international rescue mission and his old gryphon clan demanding his return, Marchand must wield his deadly power to prove that no one will ever touch his mate.

Gryphon Knight Redeemed is volume 4 in the Druid Dominion Miniseries. Set within the world of the dream, it delivers a spellbinding mix of intense emotion, explicit passion, and high-stakes supernatural drama. Calling all fantasy saga readers and fans of steamy shifter romance! Escape into the dream and grab your copy of Ophelia Kee’s mesmerizing paranormal fantasy today!

It’s more than a story; it’s an experience. Welcome to the dream…

Urban Fantasy and Steamy Paranormal Romance with Fated Mates 18+ HEA! NC!

***Warning: Adult Themes, Fantasy Violence, and/or Explicit Sexual Situations. Intended for a mature audience.

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Raven's Rescue Story Skeleton

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:15:42 GMT

Have you ever wondered about the bones of a story? What did the outline look like before the characters hijacked it?

Shall we investigate Raven’s Rescue from within the dream?

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Buy Raven's Rescue!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

The Currency of Quality Time - An Essay August 7, 2026

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:15:26 GMT

The Currency of Quality Time - An Essay

The other night, as the water rained down slightly too hot in my nightly shower, my tired muscles were more than happy to have it. I reached for my shampoo—the most expensive bottle I have ever purchased—and found myself wondering if it was actually worth the money I paid for it.

Years ago, when pennies were scarce and things cost much less, I bought cheap, poor-quality shampoo because being clean was better than not, even if I couldn’t afford to care for my hair the way other women did. Looking back at those leaner years, I wouldn’t choose an easier path. I own the life I’ve lived, struggles and all.

Now, five decades in, my hair remains long but thin, with just a few silver-grey strands appearing at my right temple. I am not vain—I rarely look in the mirror beyond brushing my teeth or washing my face—but I’m not upset that my hair has kept its color. Still, I know a time will come when I won’t smile at that anymore, and that is perfectly okay.

I won’t cut, curl, or color my hair to chase a youthful pretense. I’ve earned my years, and I’ll claim the greys when they arrive.

Looking Back

In my youth, I concerned myself with how I looked to others, but those years are long behind me. These days, I keep it simple: quality brushes, simple clips, letting my hair dry naturally, and enjoying a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning.

We scrimp, save, and invest when we are young so we can be comfortable when life gets harder. As we age, we realize that the real hardship isn’t a lack of luxury—it’s how fast time runs by us at the end. No matter how much comfort or wealth you accumulate, it cannot buy back a single second, reverse the clock, or erase a regret. Probably why my characters are all immortals or become immortal.

Looking Forward

I intend to keep my money and pass on the charade of slowing down time. Instead, I invest my hours in what truly brings me joy, because quality time is far more precious than gold, fashionable hair, or corporate approval.

For me, that means focusing on my stories. It’s time to pour my energy into building the dream, writing the Draoithe Saga, and sharing these escapes with you on my own terms.

Thank you for being part of this journey, for reading, and for sharing the dream. How do you choose to spend your quality time? Let me know in the comments below!

Want to dive deeper into the dream? Subscribers to the newsletter always get first access to new releases, updates, and behind-the-scenes thoughts. Join us at OpheliaKee.com.

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Sneak Peek at Demon's Conjurer

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:15:04 GMT

Lost Consciousness

Sybill

Shouldn’t she have forgotten the handsome demon whose ring she spun around her thumb? More than the required six hundred years had passed, and she had not seen him. Perhaps he had lost interest, or maybe he was gone.

Sybill hoped he was not gone. If that had happened, she had no hope. She thought she had felt him watching her frequently, but she never saw him. It kept her hope alive.

Sybill cared for her horses. She had a stallion and three mares. She had successfully bred two midnight riders and sold the foals to Orobas for good money.

Every day she checked her wards were in place, and she lived her life. She practiced her magic, making the zombie dogs that guarded the horses.

Thoughts of Yuri never faded. She wanted him to be her champion and protect her. Sybill dreamed he would come and take her hostage, steal her magic, demand her wealth, and dominate her. He would make her a slave and use her forever. Did other conjurers dream of demon lovers? Sybill did not know.

She had given up after seven hundred years had passed. She knew he would not be coming for her. It had been too long. She could not take the silver and onyx ring off, though. Even though she felt sure he’d given up on her, she had difficulty giving up on him.

She physically could have slid the ring off her thumb, but emotionally it would have hurt. Sybill spun it around idly as she watched the purple fade to black and dreamed again of a demon lover she would likely never have.

Once the black was complete. She moved to go inside her little cottage. She preferred to live simply. Too many things weighed a conjurer down. Sybill wanted to feel light. She wielded the magic of death. That was heavy enough. A minimalist lifestyle suited her best.

It was dark inside. She closed the door and reached for her candle. Her things were always in order because she lived alone and practiced her routine. But this time things were wrong.

Her candle was not there. Had she left it somewhere different? She thought it out, but she could not recall putting it anywhere else. Then the silver wrist cuffs came out of the dark and cut her off from her magic.

Sybill panicked. She kicked, clawed, and bit her attacker. She did not want any lover but Yuri. Strong arms squeezed her arms close to her body and pressed the air out of her. She struggled to breathe. The bag slipped over her head just as she lost consciousness.

Thank you for visiting the scrying pool of the Draoithe Saga. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the future or the past of the dream.

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Buy Gryphon Knight Redeemed!

Gryphon Knight redeemed Quote 2

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:16:29 GMT

It’s more than a story; it’s an experience. Welcome to the dream…

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Buy Quest for the Valkyries!

Quest for the Valkyries Story Skeleton

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:15:32 GMT

Have you ever wondered about the bones of a story? What did the outline look like before the characters hijacked it?

Shall we investigate Quest for the Valkyries from within the dream?

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Burn It All Down - July 31, 2026

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:15:15 GMT

Burn It All Down - July 31, 2026

Dear Reader,

Sometimes I get frustrated with sharing the dream. It’s a lot of work to appease the muse and publish widely. A lot of writers would have given up long ago.

After publishing for nearly a decade, I know how difficult it is to navigate the writer’s path. It’s also hard for readers to find stories they want to read because there are so many books available.

Exclusivity to any one program has always felt too restrictive for the dream. Marketing is a must, but that’s not so easy because no human can compete with a machine showing ads, and those cost money I will probably never have.

In an age where algorithms run the show for retailers and aggregate platforms, it’s difficult as a living author not to want to burn it all down when I’m treated as less than human, or worse, like I should be an infallible machine.

Recent events involving an audiobook aggregate publisher I had used for years have me bummed. I lost the account with no warning, no notice, and for a reason that makes no sense to me.

The decision was final, made with no consideration for me as a person, or even my knowledge that it had happened. I won’t fight it. I learned a long time ago that you shouldn’t go where you aren’t wanted. For anyone who was listening to the stories from the dream, I apologize for any disruption this causes. Please visit OpheliaKee.com to pick up where you left off.

The ugly feeling this situation left inside me is proof that retailers can’t be where I build the Draoithe Saga. They must always be only another way those who seek the dream might find parts of it. The retailers shall wind up at the bottom of the list of things I do when publishing.

I could publish much faster if I published more exclusively on OpheliaKee.com. I have been moving in that direction for a while now, and this latest setback has cemented the idea that the dream offered directly to readers must come first.

I wrote the Draoithe Saga as an escape. I want to share the stories with others who might also enjoy the escape they offer, but it has to be my way. My vision must remain true. Boxing in the dream to meet the requirements of an arbitrary retailer or to follow some aggregator’s random rules is where I’ve always gone wrong. I have to let the stress go.

I’ll let the situation settle and choose not to be reactionary. The stories remain published as they are in as many places as I can place them. I won’t change any of that. But I won’t ignore the writing on the wall. I won’t burn it all down; instead, I’ll focus my efforts on my own website and build the dream the way I want it.

Thank you for listening to an old tiger vent her frustration about the loss of an avenue of discovery for the stories from the dream. I won’t stop writing and publishing the dream, but I will take a long hard look at the process for how, where, and when. As always, Draoithe Saga subscribers continue to have first access, and the books still publish on OpheliaKee.com first.

Thank you for stepping into the dream once more. If you are listening on YouTube, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more original stories and audio adventures! Special thanks to @OkMusicWriters for Enter The Dream. I’m neck-deep in bookish stuff, editing and posting chapters of Blood Dark and Darkest Desire. Leave your comments and questions. I’d love to hear from you. If you found this post worthy, please feel free to share it. I hope you have a lovely weekend and will discover a grand story. Please remember when you read, be kind and leave your reviews. Until my next post, welcome to the dream...

Be Careful!

Happy Reading,

Bye-Bye,

Ophelia Kee

Want More?

Download your FREE Gift!

Thread

Buy books, art, music and more:

Payhip

Buy books from retailers:

Subscribe and Read it all as I Write:

Read the Draoithe Saga

Drop by and say, Hello!

Email the author: opheliakee@opheliakee.com

Follow Ophelia Kee on X/Twitter

Follow Ophelia Kee on Threads

Like Ophelia Kee on Facebook

Like Ophelia Kee on Instagram

Follow Ophelia Kee on Pinterest

Like and subscribe to Ophelia Kee on YouTube

Sneak Peek at Blood Dark #2

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:15:35 GMT

Her Loss

Kolton Marsden, Oxford, Mississippi, August 1864

When the Union soldiers arrived an hour before dawn, their orders were to destroy Oxford, Mississippi, and the surrounding villages. Cinder learned later that the Union army believed Nathan Bedford Forrest had hidden in the town, and that precipitated the entire area burning to the ground. War was misery.

The Ravenna Enclave fought valiantly to protect themselves. But too many soldiers, guns, and torches saw the buildings set ablaze as many of the strongest vampires lay upon the grass and stared with glassy eyes at the stars of the fading night sky.

Bullets killed immortals as easily as they killed men. The corpses of the dead would turn to ash at dawn. Vampires lacked enough of a soul to rot.

Cinder tried in vain to force Mardeva to flee into the forest with the other women. She refused. Her people were in danger. His vampire princess lived her responsibility to the others.

She wasn’t a cowardly princess. Mardeva was a benevolent ruler. Her people mattered to her.

She avoided the soldiers as they ransacked the village and set fire to her people’s homes. She helped the others escape the flames and flee. The two of them moved from house to house, helping those trapped inside make a run for the abandoned crypt in the forest.

“Go Mardeva! I’ll get the rest. I’ll meet you at the cemetery.”

“I’m not leaving them to die, Kolton! Get the horses out. I’ll meet you in the cemetery.”

He raced to the barn rather than argue with her and started opening stalls as the stable master opened the barn doors. If they could round up the horses the next evening, the enclave could make use of that asset.

Cinder saw the stable master mount the last mare after sending the panicked equines racing into the night away from the fire. Cinder fled the barn, knowing the vampire would race to the abandoned cemetery. Those who escaped would hide from the sun in the crypt. He hoped only that the soldiers wouldn’t find the horses before the vampires did.

Cinder sought Mardeva and indiscriminately killed a few soldiers who challenged him as he hunted for her among the burning buildings. The dawn approached. She needed safety. He knew she hadn’t fled as she should have. He had to find her and get her away before it was too late.

Where was she? He cursed himself for never having turned her into his Valkyrie. If they had mated, he would have the bond to find her. His magic would shield her from the sun. Things wouldn’t be so bleak.

She never agreed. Her people mattered too much. Mardeva enjoyed ruling over her enclave. As a Valkyrie, her people would have knelt to Cinder as their ruler. His magic was far more powerful. Taking her enclave wasn’t something Cinder wanted, but not claiming her properly left her vulnerable.

Mardeva had been the only thing that ever mattered. She eased his suffering concerning his creation and quelled the horrific memories of the riders they had forced him to endure. His vampire princess assuaged his shame that he could no longer shift into his dragon form or fly because he had no king to whom he could kneel.

He’d bowed to her desire. Turning a woman into a Valkyrie without her consent would have destroyed what they had. As the buildings collapsed around him and the flames leapt into the night sky, giving the remaining standing buildings of the little town a dreadful, eerie orange glow, Cinder knew he’d made a mistake by allowing his Valkyrie to have her way.

She was the greatest of treasures; everything. Without her, Kolton Marsden knew he couldn’t continue. Had he turned her into the Valkyrie, which she should have been, without her consent, they both would have perished when she killed him, but losing her in the flames of a hellish battle wasn’t a better option.

Only two buildings remained standing amidst the flaming ruins. One was so engulfed that he knew no one inside could still be alive. He turned toward the other and entered through the opening where the door hung askew and flames licked the frame.

He rushed through the home toward the back, seeking any signs of life and searching for the only woman he would ever love. He threw open the door to a bedroom and saw Mardeva struggling to drag an unconscious vampire woman toward the burning window.

He raced to her aid, broke the window, and heaved the unconscious woman out onto the singed and blackened grass. He was heedless of care. Better to suffer a broken bone than wake up engulfed in flames. Out of the smoke, the woman had a chance.

“We must flee! There’s no more time!”

He screamed at Mardeva to be heard above the raging, howling inferno. The roof above their heads burned along with the walls.

She nodded and took a step toward him. He still represented safety. She was small. If they could get to the trees, he could bury her beneath the forest floor and defend her until the sun faded. Then they could find any who survived.

The outer wall of the room they stood in collapsed beneath the fire’s onslaught. The roof sagged. He stepped to her, caught her in his arms, and ran with her. He ducked beneath the sagging roof and stepped into the roiling, smoky air beyond the building’s frame.

They faced east. He saw the sun. It was far too late. She never looked at the dawn. She stared into his face and knew the truth with no need to see the sun.

“I love you.”

Then she vanished in a cloud of ash, vaporized to nothing before he could respond to her. He never told her she was everything one last time.

Cinder tried to hold the ashes as they fluttered on the breeze and drifted over the scarred earth. But there was nothing he could do. Mardeva Ravenista was gone, and she took the heart of a dragon with her into the dream.

The house behind him collapsed as the blaze consumed the wooden frame of a second wall. As fierce as the fire behind him, rage burned in Cinder’s soul at Mardeva’s loss.

He should have sought the remnants of the Ravenna Enclave to protect her people and help them rebuild or move to other enclaves. Instead, he hunted soldiers wearing blue coats.

He was a dragon knight, crafted by a necromancer with incredible power and fierce magic. He was immortal, and his death would only see him resurrected with the next dawn. His love was gone, and the dragon inside mourned as the man let go of any fear he’d ever had.

Cinder should have viewed the humans as weak and walked away, but the pain in his heart rendered the code of honor he followed mute. He unleashed a level of devastation on those he found guilty of the murder of his love, the likes of which the dream hadn’t known since the pacifist dragon Ignite took up arms against Bushyasta’s slug warriors at the base of the mountain stairs and defended the entrance to his home, Eyrie Iolair.

The Eagle Lords climbed the stairs with their dead and wounded that day. The slugs all rotted on the plain, hacked into enough pieces that not even the conjurers from the Dorcha could have used them as undead slaves.

Cinder never loosened his sword. He destroyed the enemy with his bare hands. The fools weren’t worthy of the blue steel and a quick death.

The slaughter was glorious, and for a moment, it masked Cinder’s pain. When the last soldier lay in pieces of lifeless humanity at his feet, Kolton Marsden sank to his knees and wept until his soul was dry. His grief lived on.

How could he still be alive if she was gone? Her death should have ended him and broken the magic’s ability to resurrect a dragon. Cinder should have died with Mardeva. No dragon mated to his Valkyrie could suffer her demise.

He lost his mate to the dream, and one lonely dragon remained to live for eternity, knowing she could never return. Cinder had to either discover a way to suffer her loss or join her.

Thank you for visiting the scrying pool of the Draoithe Saga. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the future or the past of the dream.

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Angry King Story Skeleton

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:15:47 GMT

Have you ever wondered about the bones of a story? What did the outline look like before the characters hijacked it?

Shall we investigate Angry King from within the dream?

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Buy Angry King!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Vampire Panther Story Skeleton

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:15:07 GMT

Have you ever wondered about the bones of a story? What did the outline look like before the characters hijacked it?

Shall we investigate Vampire Panther from within the dream?

Thank you for supporting an independent storyteller!

Buy Vampire Panther!

Download Your FREE Gift!

Join the Newsletter Friends of the Dream

Read Stories

Subscribe and Read the Draoithe Saga as I Write.

Buy books:

Payhip https://payhip.com/OpheliaKee

Books2Read https://books2read.com/OpheliaKee

Donate to support the continuing expansion of the dream.

Buy Me A Tea!

Take a Break! - July 24, 2026

Ophelia Kee's Dream — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:15:06 GMT

Take a Break! - July 2026

Dear Reader,

Occasionally, I have a bright idea. Less frequently, that idea is truly exceptional. This one was: TAKE A BREAK! Taking a break from the book business is sometimes necessary, and it might even be beneficial. And I realized I post enough free content each week that if I don’t get to everything I usually post, I’m unlikely to be forgotten. I likely torture people with my single-minded obsession. Which is why Substack being a place people can read in the app is so wonderful. They can mute the dream when they need to and step right back in whenever they choose.

This week I once again didn’t post the usual Ophelia Kee Speaks blog. I opted instead to post the full-length video book for The Silver Wraith’s Firelight Queen on Friday and skipped the Draoithe Saga News. But it’s not as if those were the only posts this past week. Posting only once a week has never worked for me. Posting on only one platform has also never worked for me. I’m always creating things, and I enjoy sharing the dream. Different platforms and posting multiple times per week help me feel as if I’m sharing the dream.

Sure, I’d love to earn money from storytelling, but that’s difficult to do. Ads cost money I don’t have and can’t justify spending. Following the crowd and building my book empire on Amazon sounds ludicrous, and the exclusivity rubs my fur the wrong way. Ever being successful at marketing feels like far too much work. I actually want to enjoy my stories, so I’m focused far more on telling them than marketing them. It’s easier to tell stories in a myriad of different ways. and way more fun!

Behind the Scenes

Even though I took a break from blog posts, I didn’t slack off on publishing. I had a goal to publish multiple titles this summer, and I wanted to meet that goal before I must return to the day job. I’m happy to report that The Monarch has been published to kick off the Kings Wilde Miniseries. The Silver Wraith’s Firelight Queen is now an Ophelia Kee exclusive ebook in the LARKS North Collection.

There have been a few glitches with Shadow Runes from the Dread Desire Miniseries. Of course, it is available from OpheliaKee.com. It has also been published in some retail places and not in others. It ran into issues with Draft 2 Digital, and I’m attempting to sort that out. I’ve had no luck in publishing the audiobook through Voices by Inaudio either for different glitchy reasons, which I’m also trying to sort out. When it rains... Right?

The moral of the story is that I have control over my own website. I can offer the dream in various formats from Opheliakee.com, but I lack that control over aggregate publishers and retailers. More content, songs, art, subscriptions, serials, better bundle deals, and digital merchandise are all available directly from me, which isn’t even possible from the retailers. If you want more from the dream, visit OpheliaKee.com. The Draoithe Saga is more than a story; it’s an experience. Welcome to the dream...

Thank you for stepping into the dream once more. If you are listening on YouTube, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more original stories and audio adventures! Special thanks to @OkMusicWriters for Enter The Dream. I’m neck-deep in bookish stuff, editing and posting chapters of Blood Dark and Darkest Desire. Leave your comments and questions. I’d love to hear from you. If you found this post worthy, please feel free to share it. I hope you have a lovely weekend and will discover a grand story. Please remember when you read, be kind and leave your reviews. Until my next post, welcome to the dream...

Be Careful!

Happy Reading,

Bye-Bye,

Ophelia Kee

Want More?

Download your FREE Gift!

Thread

Buy books, art, music and more:

Payhip

Buy books from retailers: