First published 2014
Iolanthe Seabourne can summon lightning. That single act marks her as the elemental mage her world has been waiting for, the one destined to bring down the Bane, a tyrant whose power has gone unchallenged for generations. She is sixteen, untrained, and wants none of it. Prince Titus knows exactly who she is. His mother's visions mapped out this moment long before Iolanthe was born, and he has spent his life preparing for it. His plan is cold and practical: find the mage, train her, send her into battle. He disguises Iolanthe as a boy and hides her at his school, buying time to sharpen her skills before the Bane's servants close in. The problem is that Titus cannot keep his feelings out of the equation. Iolanthe was supposed to be a weapon, not a person he cares about. Now every decision he makes carries a brutal cost. He can protect her, or he can stay true to his mission to destroy the Bane. The two goals are pulling apart, and the tyrant's forces are not waiting for him to choose.
Genres: romance, adventure, fantasy, young-adult, young-adult-fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, epic, fast-paced, romantic-tension, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, duty-vs-love, enemies-to-lovers, fake-identity, forbidden-romance
449 pages · Paperback · Balzer + Bray
Content warnings: violence, war