The Night and its Moon (book)

### Published on

January 17th, 2022 (self published)September 20th, 2022 (Bloom Books re-release)

### Publisher

Bloom Books

*The Night and its Moon* is the first book in the The Night and its Moon Series by author Piper CJ. Originally self published in January of 2022, its success was quickly noted by Bloom Books Publishing, who then picked up and approved all four books in the series for a rapid release schedule. The book was then re-released on September 20th, 2022, at all major book retailers. The Barnes and Noble exclusive novel includes the novella, A Night Without Whispers: Odrin's Story. The book quickly went viral with its dedication, dedicating the novel to buttery champagne, manic episodes, and every child who wished to grow up to be a fairy.

## Synopsis

Farleigh is just an orphanage. At least, that's what the church would have the people believe, but beautiful orphans Nox and fae-touched Amaris know better. They are commodities for sale, available for purchase by the highest bidder. So when the madame of a notorious brothel in a far-off city offers a king's ransom to purchase Amaris, Nox ends up taking her place — while Amaris is drawn away to the mountains, home of mysterious assassins.

Even as they take up new lives and identities, Nox and Amaris never forget one thing: they will stop at nothing to reunite. But the threat of war looms overhead, and the two are inevitably swept into a conflict between human and fae, magic and mundane. With strange new alliances, untested powers, and a bond that neither time nor distance could possibly break, the fate of the realms lies in the hands of two orphans — and the love they hold for each other.

## Detailed Plot Summary

The book beings with our protagonist, Nox, sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night after hearing the grumblings of words at the front door of the Farleigh orphanage. She watches as the head matron, Agnes, of Farleigh argues with a strange man than Nox has never seen before holding a small bundle in his arms.

The man explains that he has a child, just past her first birthday, that he is willing to sell to Agnes. Though she first denies purchasing the child, claiming that she no longer is interested in the business of buying stolen babies, the two eventually come to terms after Anges realizes the child is not human-born. Once Agnes retreats to fetch payment, Nox finds herself drawn to the bundle; walking closer and closer, until he offers to let her see.

As she peaks inside, she finds herself staring at a babe as fair as snow, with white hair and eyelashes. It is at that moment that Nox realizes that there is nothing in this world that could stop her from loving Amaris.

Fast forward a few years, and Nox and Amaris are as thick as thieves, spending every moment of free time together. Though all of the children at Farleigh are expected to do daily chores, Amaris is often kept inside and away from physical labor to ensure that she doesn't acquire the usual cuts and scrapes of childhood in order to protect her future value, which often bred resentment from the other orphans, as she is seen only for her commodifiable value..

Since Farleigh is sanctioned by the church, each month, they must receive a visit from the Bishop. Though it had been a long time since there had been a faeling orphan at Farleigh, Nox remembered the tale of a boy with forest green irises, double the size of any human. The matrons had told Nox that those born of the Fae or with evidence of small magics were believed to have been manifestations of the goddess's powers, and were typically enlisted to serve the church. Despite his eyes being the only evidence of the boy's fae heritage, he was still taken by the Bishop.

Due to the unusual nature of Amaris's appearance, Matron Agnes and Nox went to great lengths to hide Amaris each time the Bishop came to visit. Nox, in order to protect Amaris; Agnes, in order to protect her investment.

As they found themselves hiding in the pantry while the Bishop conducted his visit, the door is suddenly flung open by another child called Achard, and his group of friends. Achard has hated Nox since they were 13, when he'd kissed her against her will, to which she'd responded by giving him a black eye. He was also envious of Amaris, who did not have to experience the same physical hardships that he had.

Despite Nox's desperate pleas for the boys to leave, they refused. The boys grabbed Nox, and started to pull her hair to immobilize her. In a final attempt to break free, she shoved into Achard, knocking over a bag of flour and breaking a bottle of cooking oil in the process. The two continued to fight amongst the mess of powder, glass, and oil, until Amaris demands that the boys leave. And just as suddenly as the fight began, it had stopped, and the boys wordlessly began to walk out the door and into the woods, never to return.

Suddenly, another matron named Mable bursts into the kitchen, exclaiming that the Bishop was coming and that Amaris needed to hide. Nox quickly shoved Amaris into the pantry, shutting the door behind her. Matron Agnes and the Bishop walked in to find Nox alone, covered in flour, oil, and blood. He immediately demanded that Nox be reprimanded for destroying property, asking where the Matron kept her whip. Despites small protests from Agnes, offering instead for Nox to enact public repentance before her peers, the Bishop insisted that pain was purifying. Agnes reluctantly relents, and Nox was met with corporeal punishment at the corrupt hand of the church in the form of several lashes.

In addition to visits from the Bishop, the orphanages also had seasonal market days where the orphans were put on display for purchase. Though for many years, Amaris was shielded from the market days, Agnes had announced that it was finally time for Amaris to join the others. Every child at Farleigh is for sale, with Nox as the lone exception, who is spared so she might accompany Amaris.

As the day goes on, Amaris finds market day to be rather uneventful. The spring market was usually the time where farmers and ranchers would come seeking boys to help out during calving season, while a few others found themselves being purchased by seemingly normal families. Though Nox feels a sense of relief as the day winds to a close, Amaris finds her attention fixated on a carriage pulling up to the orphanage. Despite Nox's insistence that they retreat to their rooms, Amaris begs to see who could possibly exit from the carriage.

A luxurious woman with yellow hair, draped in fur and gloves entered the orphanage. Though Amaris is transfixed, Nox can't help the feeling of dread spreading in her belly, begging Amaris to stay silent. Within half an hour, the woman had exchanged coins with Matron Agnes, agreeing to take two older girls named Cici and Emily. As they begin to leave, Emily's younger sister chases them down, begging her sister not to leave. Due to the commotion, the woman turns around and finds herself staring directly into the eyes of Nox and Amaris.

The woman, named Madame Millicent, immediately takes a liking to Amaris, claiming she has never seen anything like her before. The Matron assures that she has been kept unmarked, but Millicent insists that she must see with her own eyes and orders Amaris to disrobe. After a brief back and forth on whether or not she would be available for purchase for Millicent today, Millicent agrees to pay a deposit to purchase Amaris for her brothel once she has come into her womanhood.

Immediately, Nox and Amaris spring into action planning their escape. They begin to hoard provisions, and start asking questions of the lands outside of Farleigh. They thoughtfully plan out every detail, ensuring their survival once they escape from the orphanage. Yet despite all of their careful planning, the one thing they hadn't planned for was for Amaris to have her first bleed. Amaris decided that the girls needed to leave immediately. Nox insisted that Priory, the city that held the Madame, was at least two weeks away, and that they had time. Amaris continued to plead, leading Nox to hesitantly relent. While grabbing a few more last minute provisions, a sudden commotion came upon the orphanage.

A grizzly man, covered in weapons and wounds, demands safe haven and a healer, stating that the orphanage holds the sign of the All-Mother and that they are bound by law to sanctuary, and that he would pay for a night's keep and any tonics they had on hand. Though hesitate, Agnes agrees and insists that he store his weapons in her office. While the girls originally thought that his disturbance would provide the perfect cover to leave, they overhear the matrons deciding to take watch in the hallway. Disappointed, the girls resign themselves forced to one more day in Farleigh before they leave.

But like all good plans, they found themselves thwarted, as the Madame returned with an unearthly quickness. Amaris is awoken the next morning by one of the Matrons, stating that today is the day she would be leaving. Panicked, Nox manages to steal the coin and a small knife the male guest had turned over, handing them to Amaris. The two of them are caught leaving Agnes's office by the man. They briefly exchange words, which captures the attention of another matron. Desperate, Amaris tells Nox to wait for her outside.

Amaris is lead downstairs by the matron, and is met in the dining room by Millicent. Amaris questions how she reached Farleigh so quickly, demanding to know what she would be worth to her if she had not been born beautiful. As Millicent dismisses Amaris's questioning, she begins to lead her out the door of the orphanage. Panicked, Amaris grabs the knife given to her by Nox, and slices down the side of her face, marring her milky complexion. The Madame screams, horrified, as Amaris chases after the man, begging him to take her with him. He reluctantly agrees, pulling her onto his horse, and riding off.

While Nox waited out back for Amaris, she heard the frenzied screams of the Madame, and knew in her heart that Amaris was gone. She'd tried to force herself to run, but found that she was unable to move her feet. She found herself suddenly being grabbed by the shoulders of a matron, and ushered inside. Furious over losing Amaris, the Millicent demands that Agnes hands over Nox in her stead. Agnes starts to protest, but ultimately, lets Nox walk out the door with the Madame.

Meanwhile, Amaris found herself alone with the first man she'd ever met in her life. Unsure of herself or her future, they make small talk while he offers her tonics for her self inflicted wounds. As they journey outside of the city, Amaris finds herself wanting to stay with the man, who she learns is called Odrin. Though initially hesitant, stating that girls don't typically train where he's from, she is insistent and unrelenting, and he eventually wears down and agrees.

## Quotes

* "No one had ever told her how much loathing tasted like molded fruit and rotten meat."
* "Perhaps there was no one born under the All Mother’s preferential treatment. Everyone suffered in their own ways once they entered this earth."
* “The All Mother will not limit herself to one body. A single body can be cut down, destroyed. A single name can be forgotten in the wind. But what of a forest? What of the earth? Can all tongues forget ‘tree’ even in its absence? Ideas surpass the bounds of worlds. Her concept is everlasting. It is transcendent. That is the All Mother.”
* “I believe that the world is full of magic, both good and bad. Who’s to say whether it is or isn’t from a superior power? It seems a bit pointless, don’t you think? We just have to take our days one day at a time, no matter who is or isn’t watching.”