All magic leaves a mark. Prince Arran’s fight to cope with the secrets that left him the new leader of his kingdom has just begun. The past holds him hostage. An apparition with Ryla’s voice and piercing stare haunts him. All while Nithle stands mostly empty despite his efforts to rebuild. Then, the Union takes another baby. The hunt for why leads Arran to Lavanai, a place he never thought he’d step foot in, let alone seek aid from. While the once-enemy land’s ruler is welcoming, Arran finds himself navigating Lavanian politics and working alongside those responsible for his parents’ and protector’s deaths to uncover the Union’s latest ploy. As his memories, Ryla’s ghost, and the weight of trying to protect all he cares about threaten to crush him, Arran knows he must hold himself together. Even if it means doing the unthinkable.