5 things you didn't know about Wren and Torj

Iron & Embers author Helen Scheuerer reveals the hidden backstories behind our favourite enemies-to-lovers.

An illustration of Torj and Wren in a lavender field byt @sovana.art

How does an author create a truly memorable character? Fantasy author Helen Scheuerer believes that the characters who stick with us the longest are those who have rich, full lives outside of what we get to see of them on the page. They have backstories, families, memories, most of which will not make it into print, but which are built into the author's world and their thinking behind the characters, and make them who we get to read.

So, can she let us in on a few secrets about the two leads of her sizzling enemies-to-lovers romantasy series, The Ashes of Thezmarr? She can indeed. We first meet Wren and Torj in series opener Iron & Embers, and their story continues in Thorns & Fire and Silver & Smoke. Here, Helen shares five things about them that don't explicitly feature in the books, but nevertheless helped make these heroes the people they are in the series.

1. Torj had a grandmother who helped raise him

Torj grew up in the kingdom of Tver and his family on the poor side. After his mother's violent death, it was his maternal grandmother, Grandma Vara who took him under her wing. She was a formidable woman who refused to let grief consume their small household, teaching Torj that strength isn't just about wielding a sword – it's about protecting those you love, even when the world seems determined to take them from you. It was she who suggested that he go to Thezmarr to train to become a Warsword, recognizing a restless spirit that needed purpose beyond their humble village, and somewhere to channel his anger.

2. Wren looked after Thea growing up in Thezmarr

Even though Wren's the younger sister, there were often times while they were growing up that Wren had to use her alchemy and healer knowledge to patch up her older sister while she embarked on training as a warrior in secret. It was actually after a particularly close call where Thea hurt herself quite badly that Wren took a real interest in healing, and started to study in earnest under the master Alchemist Farissa Tremaine. This dynamic shaped both sisters: Thea's fierce independence and Wren's nurturing instincts becoming the foundation of their unbreakable bond.

3. Wren specializes in women's health

Wren's passionate about looking after girls and women, about making sure they have their options, protection and freedom. This specialty stems from watching too many women in Thezmarr suffer in silence, believing their pain was simply their lot in life be it reproductive and sexual health, chronic disease management, mental health, and violence against women. Wren refuses to accept that narrative, and her quiet rebellion against societal expectations manifests in her dedication to giving women choices their mothers never had.

4. They originally met in the Bloodwoods when Wren was 18

Torj was wounded, Wren told him off for his recklessness and then tended to him with gentle hands that belied her sharp tongue. He was taken with her immediately, but suspected he wasn't good enough for someone so brilliant and compassionate, so he buried his attraction deep, telling himself that chance meetings and maybe one day, a friendship, would be enough.

5. Torj has always dreamed of traveling to faraway places

Since he was a young boy, Torj dreamed of traveling the midrealms and beyond. We see glimpses of this wanderlust in the flashbacks in Iron & Embers when he's aiming for a promotion which involves sailing beyond the Veil border. What readers don't know is that this dream was born from his grandmother's stories of distant lands where people like them – the poor, the forgotten – might find new beginnings and fresh hope. He also views it as an escape for all the pain shared between him and Wren.

I love sharing these character secrets because I know fellow fantasy romance readers appreciate the same rich world-building that makes me fall in love with fictional heroes. If you're ready to meet Wren and Torj for yourself, or carry on your adventure with them – and uncover even more secrets I haven't shared here –The Ashes of Thezmarr is waiting for you.