First published 2012
King Kieri prepares to marry his beloved Arian, a half-elf, in the kingdom of Lyonya. But ancestral spirits whisper warnings of treachery and murder. Suspicion falls on his grandmother, the queen of the Ladysforest elves, whose strange behavior suggests she conceals dangerous secrets. In neighboring Tsaia, young King Mikeli faces his own crisis. He granted lands to Dorrin, a woman who wields forbidden magic, sparking outrage among his nobles. When renegade Verrakaien attack Dorrin's squires, the backlash threatens both her life and Mikeli's throne. A greater menace emerges as wild dragon offspring rampage across the land, killing without restraint. Their violence disrupts the ancient balance between dragons, humans, elves, and gnomes. The collision between these forces builds toward a catastrophe that will catch everyone unprepared. Elizabeth Moon draws on her military background to craft this third volume in Paksenarrion's world, where political intrigue and magical threats converge.
Genres: romance, adventure, fantasy, epic-fantasy, political-thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Lyonya, Tsaia, Ladysforest
Period: Medieval
451 pages · Hardcover · Del Rey