Review by Library Journal Review
Luca and Touraine are now in power in Balladaire as queen and general, yet that power is already fracturing below their feet. Luca's uncle is in prison, but he was not the only one who betrayed her. Her people are dying from the Withering disease, and the search for Balladaire's magic leads Luca to the one person who can call it. To do so means facing a cost Luca fought tirelessly to avoid--to give up her throne and dismantle the monarchy. Touraine knows the treaty with Qazal is flimsy and Balladaire's neighbors are ready to pounce on the weakened country. When the battle comes to their gate--led by Touraine's former lover, Pruett--Luca and Touraine must make choices that could possibly save Balladaire but could also break them apart. Morality fades to gray for both protagonists as they must risk their love and their lives for what each believes. VERDICT Clark's intense conclusion to the "Magic of the Lost" trilogy, after The Faithless, is filled with high-stakes physical and political actions, personal sacrifice, and intertwined relationships. Themes of colonization, revolution, and forgotten magic are woven through with Clark's hard-hitting, emotion-laden prose.--Kristi Chadwick
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