Alara's brother vanished during the last great war between the Cyrilian Empire and the southern kingdoms. Now she travels through lands where practitioners pay for their power with their own flesh, leaving behind scars and shortened lives. The Empire's alchemists have learned to extract magic from blood itself, creating weapons that can level cities. Alara discovers her brother didn't simply disappear but was taken for his rare ability to channel power without burning away. She must choose between saving him and stopping a new kind of warfare that threatens to consume everyone she loves. Her journey forces her to confront what she's willing to sacrifice and whether some prices are too high to pay, even for family.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, fantasy, action
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family, sacrifice
Setting: Cyrilian Empire, Southern Kingdoms
Period: Last Great War
Paperback
Content warnings: violence, war