SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Shadow Prince, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the series for you.
Haden Lord, Prince of the Underrealm, is a Prince no more. Since he was chosen by the Oracle of Elysium to become a Champion, he obliterated any chance he might have had to become his father's heir. He chose Daphne Raines and love instead. It turns out that she was the Cypher, the only one who can find and retrieve the Key of Hades. It is Haden's responsibility to use the Key to keep the Court of the Underrealm from getting the Keres. Literally, all hell would break loose on Earth if the Keres were set free. Haden, Daphne and their friends have left the safe haven of Ellis Fields to return to Olympus Hills to search for the Key. Two weeks have passed and they haven't found the Key yet nor have the Skylords come after them. Haden will do whatever is necessary to keep Daphne safe because he has realized that he loves her.
Daphne still isn't willing to forgive her father Joe for seeking her soul to the Underrealm in order to become a rock star. Sarah, the Oracle, told Haden and Daphne that their destinies were irrevocably intertwined. She had kept the Compass meant for Daphne for centuries. It was stolen from her only minutes later and now she feels that without it, they will never find the Key. She is still willing to bet that the Key is hidden in the grove. Tobin agrees with her. Haden relents and goes along but Daphne wants to just find the key so that her life can go back to normal. But Haden wonders if her life will ever be normal again.
Tobin's mother is the mayor of Olympus Hills. His sister Abbie went into hiding in Ellis Fields as CeCe Caelum and was Daphne best friend before Joe came into Daphne's life. The mayor has been aiding in the kidnapping of Olympus Hills daughters and Abbie disappeared a second time after Joe's assistant Marta came to help Daphne move. The mayor traded her daughter so that she could start her wind energy company. He is helping Haden and Daphne uncover the secrets of Olympus Hills. Grounded by his mother for two weeks when they went to Ellis Fields, he had been secretly searching his mother's rules for any clues. Tobin finds an early map of the area that he thinks might provide some answers. Daphne ends up giving Tobin Abbie’s dairy that was sent to her with some of CeCe’s things from Ellis Fields. They hope that it will provided them with some clues.
Haden spends every night outside of Daphne's house in an attempt to protect her from anything that may harm her. One night, Dax finds him and tried to persuade him to get some rest. He isn't going to be able to help anyone if he is sleep deprived. A flash of lightning streaks the sky and Haden thinks he sees a person standing on the shore of the lake. Dax doesn't see anyone. Haden runs through the rain to look. He sees footprints in the sand but the waves wash them away before Dax can see them. Haden is determined to keep Daphne safe at all costs.
On the first day back to class after break, Haden and Daphne are to see that their regular Humanities teacher has been replaced. Haden immediately knows that Ethan Bowman and his “niece” Terresa and “nephew” Calix are Skylords. Daphne is warned of the danger by a text message from Dax immediately followed by several from Haden telling her to act as if she doesn’t know him. After class, Daphne leaves the room with Lexie and heads towards Dax’s office. Calix follows the girls. Haden is asked by Ethan to stay after class and he dismisses Terresa, who clearly isn’t happy to be included. Alone with Ethan, Haden tells him that he knows who he is and that he no longer has an allegiance to the Underrealm. Haden refuses to give up the Cypher but Ethan tells him that he already knows who she is. Ethan wants to make a deal, a favor for the future. Haden says that he didn’t give the Cypher or the Key to his father, so don’t expect that. Ethan sounds imposed upon but wants Haden to agree to a favor later on or he can die now and lose the Cypher. Haden reluctantly agrees to Ethan’s request. The right time will depend on Haden and his friends. Until then, Haden is to tell no one of their dea; and to stay as far away as possible from Calix and Terresa. Terresa can be quite ambitious.
Will Daphne realize her true feelings for Haden before it is too late? What secrets is Tobin’s mother keeping about Olympus Hills? How will Daphne get the Compass back? Where will the Key be found? Who did Haden see on the shores of the lake that night? Why have they come to Olympus Hills? Can anything important be found in Abbie’s dairy? Why did she disappear? Will Haden and Daphne to able to keep an all out war from breaking out?
Book three will be published in the fall of 2016.
Visit Bree Despain’s website.
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