SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book the series, The Young Elites, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.
“Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.”
It has been three weeks since Adelina Amouteru and her sister Violetta, left Kenettra. She feels a tremendous amount of guilt over Enzo Valenciano’s death and not trusting the Dagger Society sooner. Even though she helped rescue Raffaele Bessette, the Daggers still cast her away and she now considers them her enemy. The sisters are in Merroutas to flee the Inquisition's eyes but also to see if they can locate another Young Elite by the name of Magiano. While searching, the two girls are approached by a street vendor who is operating a gambling game. Among the participants is a young malfetto boy. Adelina and Violetta believe that may have found Magiano. Violetta is able to sense Elites by their powers. When the malfetto boy wins, the other participants aren’t happy. After collecting his winnings, he leaves, not sensing the danger behind him. The men who lost their money, follow him down an alley. The girls decide to follow as well. They find the men accosting the boy. Adelina decides to help him. Using her power of illusion, she begins torturing the men. Violetta talks her back to reality and they realize the malfetto boy has escaped. Adelina and Violetta realize that the boy isn’t Magiano. He isn’t the Elite that Violetta sensed. Adelina hears a familiar voice speak to them and Violetta whispers that it belongs to the Elite she sensed earlier. They turn around to see the game operator staring down at them from a balcony.
The sisters tell him that they are searching for Magiano. He wants to know why they are searching for an imaginary person that mothers tell stories about to get their children to behave. They ask why he is so successful at his gambling operation and he reports magic. He also thanks the two of them for helping his young assistant. He wishes them luck in finding their Young Elite. When he says Young Elite, recognition dawns on her. It turns out that the reason Adelina recognizes his voice is that he was in the prison cell next to hers before her scheduled execution. He tries to play it off but realizes that she is Adelina Amouteru. He lets her know that she saved his life that day but doesn't say how. He does tell them that they would have better luck finding Magiano at the Little Baths of Bethesda, one of the abandoned bath halls of southern Merroutas. He warns them that they better have a good reason for seeking him out and leaves. It turns out that the gaming operator is actually Magiano. The sisters will have to prove their worth before he will agree to join up with them. When they complete the task he gave them with what seems to be disastrous results, Magiano is eager to join their ranks. Adelina wonders what drives Magiano; greed or revenge.
Raffaele has assumed leadership of the Dagger Society since the death of Enzo. He and the remaining members have traveled to Beldain to meet with Queen Maeve. Very few of their supporters have been in contact with them since they fled Kenettra. Raffaele realizes that Maeve is an Elite. Her former companion, Lucent, was blamed for Tristan’s ,Maeve's brother, death and banished by Maeve’s mother. Lucent is surprised to see Tristan alive. Raffaele asks Maeve how that is possible and she explains that no one knew that Tristan died. She kept her power a secret. Maeve wants to wrestle control over Kenettra from Giulietta. If Raffaele helps her bring Enzo back to life, his powers would be tenfold. In order for it to work, Enzo has to be tethered to someone. Maeve wants to use Raffaele but she will find someone else if he refuses. Raffaele recognizes that something is off about Tristan now.
Teren Santoro, Leader of the Inquisition Axis, is fiercely loyal to Queen Giulietta. In fact, he is her lover and co-conspirator. He has been enamoured with her since they were children. Now that she is sitting on the throne, it seems her agenda towards malfettos has changed. She wants their “slaves” treated better but Teren is driven to rid Kenettra of all malfettos. He is fighting with himself over his desire to be with Giulietta and to carry out his own personal agenda.
Why does Magiano decide to join forces with Adelina and Violetta? Will Raffaele help Queen Maeve with her plans for Enzo and Kenettra? How come Giulietta wants to save the Malfettos
now that she is on the throne? Why is Teren so determined to rid Kenettra of its malfettos? What happens when Adelina encounters Raffaele and the Black Daggers? Will Adelina and Teren cross paths again? Who survives? Will Adelina always be a “villain" or can she be redeemed? Does Adelina’s fame/notoriety help or hinder her endeavors?
Stay tuned for book three in the Young Elites trilogy due out in 2016 to see how the story ends.
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