by Anne Bishop
First published 2010
Lady Cassidy wears the Rose Jewel and rules Dena Nehele, a land recently purged of corrupted Blood. The Shalador people have found refuge in her territory after years of suffering under cruel Queens who banned their customs and drove many into exile. These refugees still cannot truly call Dena Nehele home. Cassidy knows she must restore the damaged land and demonstrate her worthiness as Queen. The task demands everything she has. She must summon untested power that could destroy her if she loses control. Even if Cassidy masters this dangerous magic and survives her ordeal, greater threats loom ahead. The Black Widows weave their webs and see troubling visions of changes coming to the land. Something approaches that will transform both the realm and Cassidy herself. She faces not only the challenge of healing a broken territory but also the weight of prophecy that promises upheaval she cannot yet imagine.
Genres: fantasy, dark-fantasy, epic-fantasy, fantasy-romance
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: Dena Nehele, Shalador
476 pages · Hardcover · Roc