SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the duology, Death Sworn, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.
Ileni departed the Assassins’ Cave after Absolm revealed himself and the grand plan he and the Master had for Ileni. She walked away from Sorin behind to start her journey to the heart of the Empire to decide for herself whether or not to bring down the Empire. She was captured by Karyn soon after she left the Cave and has been a prisoner of the Imperial Academy for the past three days. She is shocked when Sorin is able to locate and communicate with her. Ileni doesn’t divulge the true nature of her situation. She figures he would be there in a heartbeat to rescue her. More importantly, she is relieved that Sorin doesn’t hold anything against her. Bad things went down just before Ileni left. Sorin’s magical “visit” is detected by everyone at the Imperial Academy and Karyn is not pleased. She comes to Ileni’s room to find out what went on. Karyn summons someone to take Ileni to the training rooms and two young men magically appear. Ileni knows one of them, Arxis, an assassin the Master sent soon after Ileni’s arrival at the cave. They both go for their daggers at the same time. Ileni had one hidden in her boot that Sorin had slipped into her backpack unnoticed. The matter is resolved with Karyn being none the wiser. Ileni realizes that Arxis doesn’t know what transpired at the Cave after he left. He leaves the room. Karyn makes the second young man, Evin, in charge of Ileni. Evin takes her to the training room and Ileni discovers that the Imperial Academy is inside a mountain.
Evin asks if she isn’t going to practice before Karyn comes to assess her. Ileni, more than ever is without magic and declines. The boy is mystified that she refuses but doesn’t comment. He leaves when Karyn comes in. Karyn calls forth some magic obs and sends them towards Ileni. Without magic, she is unable to defend herself but Karyn persists. Then, she allows Ileni to tap into the multitude of lodestones around the room. Ileni’s magical ability is phenomenal and Karyn is impressed. Ileni will be training with the most advanced students in the academy. Once Karyn can trust that she is over the assassin (Sorin) she left behind, maybe she will get a lodestone of her own. Knowing what it’s like to be without magic, the taste that the academy gives Ileni makes her decision all that much harder. She had hoped that the imperial sorcerers were evil and her choice would be clear, but the more time she spends at the academy makes her decision that much more difficult.
Will Ileni become the first Regenai to defeat the Empire? Can she discover the truth about Absolm and the Master’s plan and about herself? How was Sorin able to find Ileni at the Academy? Has he take over the assassins or is someone else in charge? Who is Evin? Why did the Master send Arxis to the academy? Is the Empire truly evil or is there a deeper evil lurking? Will Ileni and Sorin be able to find themselves back together? Who can Ileni trust?
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