No turning back. No forgiveness. No mercy.
Five years ago, Tessa's life was forever altered when she was branded by the Umbraxisâa relentless curse draining her life with each passing day. The shadow of the disease hangs over her, a constant reminder that her time is running out. But when she and her brother Tristan are captured by a mysterious organization, sheâs thrust into a secret world of Veldan warriorsâthe last line of defense against the encroaching darkness and the deadly Wraithkin stalking them.
She will fight for her brother, the only family she has left. She will stand against the darkness that threatens to consume her world. And she will protect the fragile bonds she forges, even as they risk tearing her apart.
With everything she loves hanging by a thread, Tessaâs determination will be pushed to its limits. But sheâs not just a girl marked by deathâsheâs a force to be reckoned with.
In this heart-pounding series, prepare to be swept into a world where darkness looms and the light burns brightest in those who refuse to surrender.
No turning back. No forgiveness. No mercy.
Five years ago, Tessa's life was forever altered when she was branded by the Umbraxisâa relentless curse draining her life with each passing day. The shadow of the disease hangs over her, a constant reminder that her time is running out. But when she and her brother Tristan are captured by a mysterious organization, sheâs thrust into a secret world of Veldan warriorsâthe last line of defense against the encroaching darkness and the deadly Wraithkin stalking them.
She will fight for her brother, the only family she has left. She will stand against the darkness that threatens to consume her world. And she will protect the fragile bonds she forges, even as they risk tearing her apart.
With everything she loves hanging by a thread, Tessaâs determination will be pushed to its limits. But sheâs not just a girl marked by deathâsheâs a force to be reckoned with.
In this heart-pounding series, prepare to be swept into a world where darkness looms and the light burns brightest in those who refuse to surrender.
Morning comes like a truce, delicate and destined to shatter.
Still, itâs my favorite time of dayâthat quiet sliver just after sunrise, when the world still feels half-asleep. Especially in summer, like now. I slide the window open, loving the groan of the old wood and the rattle of the glass as a cool breeze sneaks in to kiss the back of my neck, drying the sweat. It chases away the agony, and for a heartbeat, I almost forget Iâm dying.
Donât get me wrongâIâm not scared of death. Itâs more about what comes after, the knowledge that Iâm leaving Tristan to fend for himself. Thatâs what terrifies meâthe idea of abandoning him.
When he was younger, he would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, his small body shaking with fear from nightmares. Iâd hold him close, whispering assurances I didnât quite believe myself. I was barely twelve then, and nights like those made me grow up fast.
I guess I should be thankful our dad had a knack for preparing for the worst. His meticulous planning laid a safety net that the Clearborn reinforced, so weâve never had to worry about an empty fridge or the lights going out. And at least this place is a secretâone that not even AURA has found out yet.
But none of that changes the shadow of the Umbraxis hovering over me. Death is always lurking just over my shoulder, clawing at my soul. Sometimes I want to give in, let it take me. It would be so easy.
Most Ordyn move through life in a daze, oblivious to how the Verdelis flows through everything. Oblivious to the warriors who keep them safe. Iâve always had one foot in both worlds, never truly belonging to either. Itâs given me a sharp awareness of my path and how I ended up here. And what still lies ahead.
I settle into the reading nook by the window, eyes drifting over the quiet streets below. The morning sun casts long shadows on the red-brick buildings and in the distance, I hear the faint hum of traffic on I-70. Close by, the streetcar rattles as it heads to the City Market where vendors are already setting up. Beyond our little neighborhood, the skyline looms against the blue sky, a reminder of the busy world just outside our haven.
In the morning light, the city looks peaceful, but I know what hides in the dark alleys and abandoned buildings there. I know what waits to rip people like my brother apart.
This used to be my parentsâ room, and itâs the only place where I can still smell Momâs scentâroses and coffee beans. My gaze lands on a framed photo on her dresserâa snapshot of me at the edge of the ocean, long dark hair falling down my back. Iâm probably around eight, standing with my hands clasped behind me, staring out at the waves, blissfully unaware of the worldâs harsh truths. That was before the Veil lifted.
A lump forms in my throat as I try to recall the sound of the waves, the scent of salt in the air. A childhood I can barely remember, like it belongs to someone else. The girl in that photo had the luxury of living in the moment, not yet aware of how fleeting everything was.
I turn away from the photo, back to the window. The warmth of the sun chases away the tears sneaking down my cheeks. I let myself get lost in the light, not hearing the soft click of Blitzâs nails on the wood floor until Tristan knocks gently on the door.
âTess?â
His voice is soft and raspy, like heâs still waking up. I quickly wipe away my tears and force a smile, speaking before he can ask why Iâm crying.
âHey,â I say, a bit too brightly. âGood morning. Sleep okay?â
He shuffles into the room, rubbing his eyes. Our dog trots over, tail wagging, and sits by my feet. She waits impatiently for attention, her eyes glued to me. I reach down to pet her, laughing softly when her eyes roll back in bliss.
As Tristan comes closer, I notice how thin he looks. Itâs been years since he was sick, and he eats constantly, but thereâs still a haunted look about him, especially in the mornings. Does he still have nightmares? If so, he keeps them to himself now, biting back the screams in his sleep.
He picks up on my mood, his gaze snapping to my face, trying to read whatâs going on inside me. I smile again, hoping itâll hide the unease I see reflected in his eyes. But my own eyes give me away every time. They always reveal too much, like a truth I canât keep hidden, no matter how hard I try.
âItâs not as humid today,â I say quickly as a distraction. âWant to take Blitz for a walk before she starts climbing the walls?â
âI would actually pay to see that,â Tristan laughs.
His eyes sparkle when he laughs, a deep chocolate brown ringed with a bronze glow that seems to dance in the light. Among the Veldan, whose eyes reflect the golden rays of Light or the silver depth of Shadow, Tristanâs bronze hue is a rarity.
âWeâll go later. But first, get your butt over here,â I say, opening my arms.
He curls up beside me in the nook, and I wrap my arms around him. Blitz settles at our feet as I breathe in Tristanâs familiar scent, letting it calm me.
âTess,â he says after a quiet moment, âIâm starving. Like, literally starving. Can you make me breakfast?â
âSure,â I laugh. âLetâs see what weâve got.â
I pull him to his feet, and we head to the kitchen. At the back door, our dog scratches to be let out. I glance at Tristan, who closes his eyes for a moment, scanning. After a few seconds, he nods.
âItâs clear,â he says, âand the Veilstones are up.â
Relieved, I shove the back door open, and she bounds past me. The Shadowglass wind chimes give off their usual eerie melodyâstrangely comforting today. I dig through the fridge, aware of Tristan craning his neck to see what Iâm grabbing. âEggs and fruit?â
âYes. And bacon?â he asks, eyes wide with that puppy-dog hope.
I snort. âYouâre so spoiled. Want a croissant with that? Maybe some caviar?â
âYeah, hold the fish eggs, thanks. Disgusting.â
I laugh, keeping the smile plastered on, even though my chest tightens a bit. He deserves so much more, but lifeâs always been unfair to him. I find the bread and bacon, letting out a breath I didnât realize I was holding. âWell, looks like todayâs your lucky day.â
He grins and hugs me. Tristan brings a warmth I can never quite put into words, a light that feels like a minor miracle in this world.
As I cook, the scent of sizzling bacon fills the kitchen. Tristan chatters about a game heâs designing, his words a stream of technical jargon I donât understand but listen to anyway. I savor his voice, holding onto each word like itâs the last.
When breakfast is ready, he grabs two plates. I tell him Iâve already eaten, and he gives me that look. The one that says, âWe both know youâre lying.â Itâs become our routine, a silent acknowledgment of my sickness we both choose to ignore.
I tousle his hair, and he ducks away laughing.
As he eats, I let the dog back inside and feed her. Then we all head to the living room, where Tristan curls up next to me while she settles on the floor. I glance at our reflection on the TV screen. For a moment, we look almost normal. I consider turning on the news but decide against shattering the peace.
Tristan rests his head on my shoulder, and his hair brushes my face, strands catching the light like gold threadâlike the caramels Mom used to make at Christmas. Guess I still have some good memories buried there.
Then, a noise outsideâa faint clatter, like a can rolling down the street, pushed along by a breeze. But thereâs no wind, not today. I freeze, heart pounding, and the porch board creaks. Blitz is instantly up, hackles raised.
The amulet around my neck suddenly hums softly, and Tristan and I snap to our feet beside her, facing the back door. His eyes find mineânot scared, just tense, waiting for my signal.
Seconds crawl by, turning into minutes. My instincts scream at me to get moving, but thereâs no further sign of danger. Was I wrong? Maybe Iâm just having an off day.
I relax a little, turning to wrap Tristan in a hug to calm him.
And thatâs when the back door is kicked in.
Nicole Thorner has penned one of my favorite first lines ever: âMorning comes like a truce, delicate and destined to shatter.â As the opening scene unfolds in a contemplative moment of peace likewise destined to fragment, the reader should recognize the warning to strap in and prepare for a wild ride. Thorner drops us right into the middle of things, expecting us to piece together references to fantastical powers and lurking dangers on the fly. Lumaraglass and Shadowglass, AURA and the Clearborn, the Elite and the Vanguard, the Wraithkin, the Veil⌠itâs a fascinating world.
Here, people seem to be divided into two races. The Veldan possess genes allowing them to touch the Verdelis (which flows through everything, akin to the Force) and summon either Light or Shadow, while the powerless Ordyn are treated as second class citizens. Mixed-race Tessa, however, seems stuck halfway. Though her irises shift color with emotionâproducing some interesting social interactionsâthey have no secondary gold or silver ring heralding Aelum or Nocturne ability. Tessaâs younger brother Tristan is likewise unique, with bronze rings around his pupils and the unusual ability to block othersâ powers.Â
Tessa reminds me of Tris from Divergent: fierce and kind and dauntless. The orclike monsters called Wraithkin are perhaps the least of her problems as she tries to keep her powerful little brother from becoming a pawn in the hands of warring political factions. When a Vanguard soldier comes crashing into their home, it sets off a chain of events that causes Tessa to reevaluate everything she thought she knew and everyone she was sure she could not trust.
The story is a page turner, with bright moments of unexpected camaraderie shining through the dark surroundings. One of my favorite details was Tessaâs relationship with scent, woven intriguingly through the tale until the back story eventually emerges. I did come away with a couple of mild disappointments, though. Tessaâs terminal disease, which was the most interesting part of the premise, kind of fades into the background (though with good reason). And like many protagonists who discover latent abilities, she goes from ignorance to near miraculous control in an eyebrow-raising span of time.
Such incidentals notwithstanding, I thoroughly enjoyed this first volume of the Radiant Shadows trilogy. Thankfully, Bind Our Hopes in Darkness releases in the near future, and readers will subsequently wait in agony for the final installment!