Annabelle Argyle isnât just unstableâsheâs dangerous.
As one of the few omniwalkers who can wield all four elements, sheâs been confined to the Aldoren base her entire life, training under the oppressive rule of Elementari law. To the Kingdom, her power is a threat that must be controlled. To the rebels in Zedara, sheâs a weapon worth dying for.
When her unstable powers spark an accident, Annabelle is forced to train with Theo, an infuriatingly arrogant firewalker. But Theo has his own secrets, and when rebellion explodes across the land, Annabelle finds herself ambushed and thrust into a conflict she never asked for.
Caught between the ruthless Kingdom and the rebels who claim to fight for freedom, Annabelle discovers that both sides are hiding dangerous truths. With enemies closing in and allies she canât trust, she faces a choice: use her power to support the rebellion, ally with the King, or forge her own pathâeven if it means turning against everyone she loves.
Annabelle Argyle isnât just unstableâsheâs dangerous.
As one of the few omniwalkers who can wield all four elements, sheâs been confined to the Aldoren base her entire life, training under the oppressive rule of Elementari law. To the Kingdom, her power is a threat that must be controlled. To the rebels in Zedara, sheâs a weapon worth dying for.
When her unstable powers spark an accident, Annabelle is forced to train with Theo, an infuriatingly arrogant firewalker. But Theo has his own secrets, and when rebellion explodes across the land, Annabelle finds herself ambushed and thrust into a conflict she never asked for.
Caught between the ruthless Kingdom and the rebels who claim to fight for freedom, Annabelle discovers that both sides are hiding dangerous truths. With enemies closing in and allies she canât trust, she faces a choice: use her power to support the rebellion, ally with the King, or forge her own pathâeven if it means turning against everyone she loves.
Many lifetimes ago, the creation of our code of law was marked by violent protests from the omniwalkers, came to a head in the near extermination of my kindâand was the reason I was now standing in the study of a stern man who was the closest thing to a parental figure Iâd ever known.
âAnnabelle, you mustnât do that.â Potrax remarked, shutting the large wooden door with a soft thud before folding his arms.
âDo what?â I blinked thrice, feigning ignorance.
âAbuse your powers so recklessly. Iâm already being pressured by the other keepers to confine you to the training grounds. If you continue to draw attention to yourself, you might lose yourâŚpermissions to wander around.â
The term detainee would strip the nuance, but I seldom left the base to roam around and had been dissuaded from leaving the island for âNowâ. Now being since I arrived, thirteen years ago.
And, although I didnât mind everyone thinking I was an unhinged lunatic, I did mind that even the slightest shred of freedom I possessed might be taken from me. So, I defended it.
âAlright, then. It wonât happen again.â
Potrax continued. âAnyway, thatâs not what I called you here for. I need to talk to you about your training.â
Ah.
I sighed, feeling tension coil inside me. âWhat about it?â
âI have requested someone to come and train you from the capital. Heâs one of the strongest firewalkers weâve seen in centuries,â he continued. âHe agreed without reservations.â Potrax chuckled. âI suspect he felt obliged, especially since he happens to be my nephew.â
âRight,â I replied, unsure of what to think.
âWith you approaching the age to fight, people are eager to have you in their caddy. With your powersââ
âI know, I know, my ability to control elements makes me a valuable resource for the fighters.â I said, reciting the line that had been repeated to me since the day I had arrived. I bit the inside of my cheek, the suffocating reality of my limited options pressing in.
âAs you realize, the time has nearly come. Thereâs pressure for you to take control.â he said, his voice steady. âMy nephew is quite young to be involved in training you, but heâs participated in multiple battles. I can assure you, heâs the best suited for this task.â
I drummed my fingertips on his weathered wooden desk as my gaze traced the jagged lines of his marbled face. And asked, in mock-innocence, âSo, you brought me here to weigh in on this?â
Only the howling winds outside broke the immense silence that had settled.
Didnât think so.
I didnât feel the need to speak anymore. Nothing I could say would change the situation. The keepers had tried, Potrax had tried, I had tried, and ultimately, I had failed. Now, it was about resorting to alternatives.
Potrax stood tall, his broad frame casting a long shadow in the dim light. He sighed deeply before meeting my gaze. âYou know I never agreed with the current methods,â he continued, his voice calm but tinged with weariness. âI fought my way to get you this. I proved to the boards that I was right. Youâre still too volatile, and their approaches⌠they arenât working.â
âYou think more training will make me less me?â I raised an eyebrow, curious but already half-expecting his answer.
âIâm not saying you need to change, Annabelle,â he replied, gently. âBut we do need to hone your strength, your explosiveness. Right now, youâre unpredictable. If you lose control againââ
âYes, youâve mentioned, once or twice,â I interrupted, exasperated. I knew I was being difficult, but I had grown so tired of the same discussion.
Potrax let out a slow breath. âI will never know what itâs been like for you. And itâs hard for me to accept what has been happening to hone your powers,â he said. âI mean donât you want to leave the base? Fighting could give you some freedom.â
The words hit me like a punch. I knew he was right, but I had been battling against myself for so long, and it was frustrating to see that all my efforts were going nowhere. For most, Aldoren was a temporary homeâa place to stay until they mastered their abilities. For omniwalkers, though, it was a life sentence. I could remain trapped in this base, or join the warriors, and be trapped in another base.
âSo youâd like me to trade one cage for another?â
Silence hung between us once more as I gazed outside the window at the familiar cloud covers that blanketed the island. A storm was about to come crashing down. Good.
But then I thought about it. It had been a long time since Iâd actually harmed anyoneâa very long time, in fact. I couldnât even recall a recent instance. And the idea of dealing with a new trainerâsupposedly the strongest warrior they hadâfelt like it might entail even worse treatment than I had already become accustomed to.
My eyes narrowed at the thought, defiance curling in my tone. âWhat would happen if I declined your offer?â
Potraxâs lips twitched into something like a smileâgrim, almost amused. âThen we will wait for the next time you lose control. At that point, itâs my way. No arguments, no conditions. Agreed?â
âFine,â I muttered, reaching for the door.
âOh, Annabelle,â he added with a hint of what looked like amusement playing on his lips, âI understand you wonât make it easy for himâbut give him a chance. You two might even get along.â
I froze at that statement, caught off guard. So, he was that certain? Thatâs how little faith he had in me? A smile rarely found its way to Potraxâs jaw. And I couldnât help but wonder if that was a bit of sadism on his part.
I huffed, shutting the door without bothering to turn back.
Potrax had been here since I arrived at Aldoren. My battered, ruthless, and unyielding prison. Although, I should probably have called it my home. They said I was probably five, or six, when my parents were discovered and executed where we had been hiding. At that time, Potrax had already been a Head Keeper at this base. When I was younger, Iâd follow him around the grounds as he went about his duties. He didnât seem to mind. Iâd sit with him in his quarters, watching as he read his old books, sometimes heâd read them out loud for me too.
It wasnât long before I became familiar with every corner of the island through Potraxâthe hidden caverns opening along the shore and the narrow gullies cutting deep into the earth like scars. Caves lay tucked into the bases of the cliffs, their entrances worn smooth by centuries of saltwater. Heâd even shown me how to climb down the rock faces to reach them.
Walking out of Potraxâs study and into the Great Hall, Delia appeared, her cackling laughter cutting through the air.
âYou ok?â she asked, her casual tone belying the concern in her eyes as she traced the shadowed hollows beneath mine. Her brother, Nico, trailed closely after her, listening in.
âOn cloud nine,â I joked half-heartedly. Weeks of grueling training had wrung me out.
âDoes my shadow care to give us some space?â Delia raised an eyebrow at Nico, casually waving him off. He moved further behind us as she leaned in, her eyes holding mine. âAre you sure?â
Suddenly, her sharp-tongued mask slipped away, and she was no longer the biting humorist.
I gave her a hint of a smile, then repeated, even louder this time, âI told you, Iâm fine.â
She threw an arm around my shoulder. âYouâre a terrible liar, but Iâll let it slide.â Her warmth grounded me as Nico rejoined us. âUgh, not you again,â Delia said, rolling her eyes.
Nico grinned back at her. âBelieve me, I wish I had somewhere else to go.â
Delia followed me onto the moor as Nico walked off. I looked down, noticing the satisfying crunch of the icy, glossed grass under my feet.
âLetâs go to the other side of the coast.â I said, glancing up at her. I needed to let off some steam. I wasnât often restless, usually too all-consumed by training, but Delia was constantly itching to push any boundary.
This had become a semi-regular routine. Some days, weâd talk for hours; other times, there was nothing but silence. And, although unleashing our powers without purpose or restraint was discouraged among trainees, Delia never hesitated to rebel.
âSure, why not,â she replied with a wicked grin.
We walked together until we reached a ridge, the sound of the ocean crashing against the cliffs filled the air. As soon as we sat, she summoned movement from the waves.
âWhat did Potrax say?â she asked, curiosity lighting her dark eyes.
âHeâs brought in a new man from Dominea to train me. Itâs his nephew.â I said, forcing a lightness into my tone, though the knot in my stomach only tightened.
âWhat?â Delia turned to look at me. âYou realise what this means, right?â she questioned, disbelief lacing her tone.
âNo, should I?â I countered, genuinely puzzled.
âHeâs Potraxâs nephew?â Delia said, her eyes locking onto mine. âDo you know why Potrax is the Head Keeper at Aldoren?â
I felt my expression falter. I did not know. And it was strange because thinking about the last few hours, I realized how little I knew about Potrax at all.
Delia let out a breath, frustration and something akin to pity flickering across her face.
âPotrax holds absolute power here because it was granted to him by the Lord. The Ruler of the Elementari.â She explained, her voice quiet but sharp. âItâs his brother. Which means his nephew is the Rulerâs son. Has he never brought this up?â
The realisation hit me like a cold wave. I was stunnedânaive, maybeâbut I hadnât known much about the world beyond Aldoren. In fact, I wasnât aware Potrax had any family. Weâd never spoken of it.
âSo, the Rulerâs son,â I said, confusion overtaking me, âand apparently the strongest firewalker in centuries, is here to train me? I didnât realize they were that desperate.â
âI think they donât get along, Potrax and his brother. Maybe thatâs why he never mentions it,â she added, trying to reassure me. âI only know about it from Dominea. But I guess he had to pull some strings within the family.â
I thought about it for a second. âWhat concerns me the most is him agreeing to come from Dominea of all places. He must be insane or at least somewhat disturbed for choosing to be posted here.â
Few Elementari chose to be stationed in Aldoren. Most avoided the place, preferring not to be located on such a remote island. The rugged landscape, constant chill, and isolation made it an unappealing choice. The sane trainees gravitated toward places where the sun shone more often, and life was not as confined.
âHmm. Thatâs possible,â she murmured, her gaze distant. âBut Nico and I relocated from Dominea.â
I raised an eyebrow. âExactly.â She let out a small, wry smile.
âAnyway, why are they sending someone new from the capital to train you? Whatâs wrong with the keepers here?â
âI think he mentioned they have different training methods for cold-blooded Elementaris like me,â I said hesitantly.
âWhat do you mean?â Deliaâs brow furrowed with concern.
âIâm not sure,â I replied. âMy impression is that he feels the omniwalker therapy might be too intrusiveâor maybe not thorough enough.â
âWell now Iâm curious.â Delia retorted, her expression growing wearier. âWhy is it we never talk about your early morning training? What do they make you do?â
I blinked. I hadnât expected her to even notice the sessions, let alone ask about them.
I hesitated, unwilling to give away too much. âWe donât discuss it because itâs not very exciting, Delia. Theyâre just helping me control my powers. I canât effectively go to battle if Iâm this volatile.â I said, trying to make it sound casual, though I wasnât entirely sure of my own words.
âIâve read about some of the Laws, you know. Itâs always so vague when it comes to cold-blooded suppression,â she said, her tone serious. âI hope itâs nothing like what Iâve heard.â
âNot at all.â I replied quickly, forcing a smile. âBesides, do I look like I canât handle myself?â My gaze shifted, and my blue eyes flickered, changing to a molten silver. I could feel it rippling through my temples, spreading outward like liquid fire.
She laughed, the tension easing slightly. âOf course not!â
We sat in silence for a while, absorbing the rhythm of the windâs gusts and the oceanâs relentless crash against the cliffs.
âDo you want to come with me and Nico to visit our family this year?â Delia asked after a beat; I heard the plea in her tone. She asked me this question every year, hoping I might surprise her.
âNo, Iâm happy here,â I said, unease stirring within me as I let the thunder rumble in the distance.
Going to Dominea would get me in trouble. The sky darkened at my command, and the bushes behind me began to quiver. Deliaâs eyes widened, and a cackle escaped her as I made the leaves curl and blacken under the pressure. I shot her a sly, devilish smirk.
She raised an eyebrow. âWhy not? Itâll be fun.â With a flick of her wrist, she matched me, letting a light rain fall over us.
âI guess I like my own company,â I said, focusing on the withering grass.
When I first arrived here, it wasnât like this. I was younger and the keepers, those who watched over us, had once invited me into their homes, curious, unafraid. Back then, I wasnât dangerous to them. Or at least, they didnât think I was. But things had changed. The older I grew, the more wary they became. They kept their distance, their eyes filled with something I recognized but couldnât control. They werenât the only ones. I felt it too, a creeping fear of my own power, my own presence.
I thought about how in my third year at Aldoren, during one of the formal keeper dinners I was graciously allowed to attendâstill the orphan child they pitiedâI accidentally set the table ablaze. It was wood, dry and old, and the fire caught faster than I could have imagined. Everything happened so fastâone moment they were clearing the plates, and the next, splinters and flames erupted everywhere. Chaos followed. People screamed, cried, and fled as the fire spread wildly, nearly impossible to contain.
Some desperately tried to summon water, others air, in a frantic attempt to extinguish the flames. But the fire raged on, uncontrollableâI was uncontrollable.
I stood there, completely paralyzed. The hardest part wasnât the destruction or the fearâit was that I hadnât been angry, upset, or even remotely emotional. It wasnât intentional, not in the slightest. Potrax tried to question me afterward, but what could I say? I had no explanation.
Since then, Iâd always expected people to fear me. And most did. But not Delia. Somehow, she didnât flinch. It was strangeâlike I had these surges of power that shouldâve drained me, but instead, they didnât.
And Aldoren had become predictable. To have a routine was to be safe.
âUnderstood,â Delia hesitated for a moment. âI get it,â she said, trying to sound casual. She had a habit of curling the corner of her lips to one side whenever she lied. I knew she didnât really understand. But she respected me enough to let it go.
I noticed her brow glistening with sweat, lips cracking. Summoning the rain, even if a small amount, quickly took its toll on her.
In the stillness of the moment, we unleashed ourselves, painting the sky with bolts of electricity and shimmering light. The air crackled with our combined force, transforming the horizon into a canvas of raw, untamed color.
Then, without warning, a pulse of unbridled energy shot through me, stealing my breath for a moment. Iceâpointed and roughâbegan to fall from the darkened sky. The shards sliced through the air like daggers, crashing into the ground with a force that made the earth tremble.
That wasnât Delia. I knew that for sure.
The ocean crashed against the cliffs, waves rising higher and slamming harder than ever before. I barely registered her scream as I doubled over, clutching my stomach. My vision blurred and my head began to pound. Wind raged around me, and the ice spilled out uncontrollably.
âNo!â I tried to cry out, the sound hollow, swallowed by the howling storm.
I felt blockedâpowerless. The force was engulfing me.
âAnnabelle!â Deliaâs voice cut through the chaos, panicked and sharp. She struggled to summon water, but the ice was relentless. She lifted her arms to protect herself as shards pelted down dangerously around us.
âStop!â she shouted, but I couldnât. My power had slipped from my grasp, a tempest tearing free of its cage.
A shard struck her, slicing through the forearm she had raised to shield her head. Blood blossomed against her skin, and she screamed, collapsing backward onto the ground. Her eyes wide with pain.
âDelia!â I tried to reach her, my body trembling, but my arms wouldnât obey.
Breathe.
Breathe.
More ice fell, shattering around us, and the tide kept rising higher.
Breathe.
I forced my focus inward, but it was like trying to contain a wildfire with bare hands. Slowlyâagonizingly slowlyâthe storm began to subside. The ice stopped falling. The wind softened. The waves reigned back into a comfortable rhythm.
When it was over, and I regained control over myself I looked to Delia, who had settled upright again, her breaths shallow and uneven, blood staining her sleeve. I turned toward her and kneeled as I searched her expressionâlooking for a trace of the anger I deserved.
âDelia, Iâm so sorry,â I whispered, my voice shaking.
It was reckless, being around others, friends, knowing that at any moment I could explode. I might walk away gracefully today, then do something horrificâmy biggest fear would come true.
Behind her, figures rushed toward usâthe keepers. And Orla. I didnât have time to process it, to wonder why in the elements, of all people, she was here.
âIâm fine!â she shouted over her shoulder at the approaching group. Her voice was firm, but her face was tinged with green, her hand trembling at her side.
They ignored her protests. âItâs just my arm! This is so dramatic,â Delia muttered as they ushered her toward the infirmary. Her words were defiant, but her steps were unsteady.
Bile burned in my throat as I forced myself to trail behind the group at a distance.
In the infirmary, I sat in silence next to FinnianâDeliaâs new flingâwho insisted on being there, despite the healersâ reassurances that they didnât need him. Meanwhile, she kept repeating things like, âItâs nothing,â and âAt least now Iâll have a warriorâs scar,â clearly trying to make me feel less awful.
Then, Potrax appeared outside the door, his broad figure framed by the flickering hallway light. He leaned in, his gaze steady, the corner of his lip liftingâjust slightly. He didnât come inside, didnât speak. Just stood there for a few moments, one eyebrow raised.
He had gotten his way.
And I wasnât going to protest. If he decided to lock me in a dungeon and throw away the key, I wouldnât argue. Mortification, pain, disgustânone of those words came close to describing how I felt. I was a monster, a witch, and I deserved to be hunted. Burned at the stake.
Delete Created with Sketch.
The next morning, I swept my dark hair into a high ponytail, deftly braiding the strands, and wore my rigorously black uniform. As I descended the marble stairs, I spotted the other Elementari drifting through the corridors, their garments flowing like liquid colorâsteel gray for air, deep blue for water, and vibrant red for fire.
Orla and her twin moved through the crowded corridor, their steps synchronized. As they passed, her eyes skimmed over me, her brow twitching ever so slightly. The disdain in her gaze cut through the noise of the busy hallway. It was a quiet, sharp jab meant for her twinâs benefit, but I saw it. Her expression was more a subtle challenge than a taunt, just pointed enough to test the waters without tipping her hand.
I flashed her my wildest grin, feeling my lips stretch at my cheeks. Thunder rumbled overhead as I summoned my power.
Even Orla wouldnât confront me head-on. But that flicker of hesitation in her gazeâthe brief pause before she turned awayâtold me everything. It was a small victory, a reminder that I was capable of more than sheâd be willing to admit.
Her twin followed her like a shadow as her gaze darted between her hostility and my crazy smile. Once they were gone, I let the tension in my shoulders ease.
We made our way toward the jagged cliffs, the wind biting at our skin. Keeper Raphael stood at the edge, his gaze fixed on the churning icy waters below.
I recoiled.
Keeper Raphael had never called me by my nameâonly by my labels: the cold-blooded one, omniwalker, subject. He reveled in the harshest forms of suppression: chains, bindings, freezing cold therapy, the whip, the stones. Others, like Keeper Jedd, were even more dangerous. Oscillating between cold detachment and unexpected warmth, as though even he couldnât decide where he stood in his own beliefs. At times, his omniwalker training sessions were bearable, even manageable. But other times, he would unveil some bizarre, torturous contraption and declare it to be my fate. As if it had been my own choice to be born cold-blooded.
The memories flooded to my mind, whilst the sharp, briny scent of the sea filled the air as we descended the narrow, stone-carved paths.
We gathered at the shoreline, where waves crashed violently against the rocks below.
I watched Delia leap into the icy water with a motion as fluid as the ocean itself. The others joined in, the liquid surging around them, swirling, twisting, and shaping itself into waves, currents, and bursts of motion.
As a waterwalker, Delia was going to thrive here. She moved gracefully, her natural affinity allowing her to command the water. She shaped the waves with careful precision, each motion deliberate and controlled. But I could see her shoulders tensing with each movement, the power she wielded came with a cost. She had to remain cautiousâevery shift, every push and pull, drained her energy.
I plunged into the water, and the icy shock jolted through me. The taste of salt filled my mouth. As my head broke the surface, I began summoning the currents, feeling them surge around me. Gasping for air, I struggled against the chaotic waves I had conjured, the wild force of my own strength threatened to pull me under. My muscles quaked with the effort, but I clenched my teeth, drawing on every ounce of strength to channel the tide. I had to ride its strength, not let it drag me under.
As I rose higher, balancing precariously on the crest of my own massive wave, I felt the rush of my raw force beneath me. I held my breath for a moment, suspended in that delicate position, then released it as the current carried me forward, crashing fiercely back toward the coast.
I turned just in time to see Orla catching upâfast. With a swift motion, she was summoning a gust of wind that whipped up the surrounding waves, manipulating the water with the air to propel herself even faster. She hit the shallows with force, the ocean almost flinging her forward.
Dragging myself to the shore, a weight settled on my chest, accompanied by the unsettling feeling of being watched. Though his face remained a blur, I could sense a gaze fixed on me.
My heart skipped a beat as I quickly scanned the area, searching for anyone else nearby. But there was no one.
Being watched was never comfortable. When attention came my way, it was rarely for good reasons.
Turning back toward the shore, the other trainees were huddled in silence and exhaustion.
I looked ahead once more, half expecting the figure to turn away or flinch, but he didnât.
His distant gaze held mine, steady, unblinking. My body tensed involuntarilyâsomething about it felt wrong.
I gave him a third chance, my eyes lifting briefly as I walked. Nothing.
I didnât know if I was a monster. But I knew this: I did not mind being feared, had no heart to concern myself with the consequences of my recklessness, and found no comfort in the scrutiny of strangers.
With a pulse of energy, I let a rumble of thunder roll across the horizon, the sound loud enough to send murmurs rippling through the group behind me. I didnât bother to towel off; I kept walking, my wet hair falling like a dark veil. I unleashed a bolt of lightning, striking dangerously close to the man who had been watching. The flash illuminated his face for a moment.
He didnât flinch. Instead, a slow, wicked smile flashed across his face, his teeth briefly gleaming. He turned away, striding confidently. I squinted, trying to make sense of itâwho was this man?
The Law of the Elementari follows a powerful omniwalker, a person who wields all elements, Annabelle, as she navigates the political happenings of her world, as well as faces inner turmoil with her sense of self. Aided by supporting characters like her love interest Theo and best friend Delia, Annabelle is taken alongside the reader in uncovering her place in the world and what she can do about it. Being trained by the Prince in the only place she called home gets interrupted when her life is at stake and the Prince, Theo, unveils the plans to bring her to his home in Dominea. Upon arriving, Annabelle is thrust fully into the political landscape and must determine who she can trust, including herself, and whose plans she can align herself with, even if that means making ones of her own.
A strong element throughout the novel is the world-building. While the magic system used would be familiar to those who read in this genre (magic that surrounds the elements; water, air, fire, earth), Cavalieri makes it her own. It feels unique to this world due to the underlying political tension that is riddled throughout the book. Itâs easy to get a grasp on it and the natural settings of each place we visit in the novel. It truly is the strongest aspect here and felt consistent throughout. There were also so many beautiful moments of descriptive imagery, usually when describing the powers of the characters and how they use them.
Pacing-wise, the novel has a slow start, but by the middle and end it picks up a lot better. A lot of the beginning felt like setting the stage for the rest of the novel, but I was only locked in around the 50-60% mark where it felt like the story was starting. There were some issues with scene transitions. At times, going from place to place in this novel felt a bit clunky and rushed to get to the next plot point and I wished it stayed in certain moments longer or skipped them entirely to help with the clunkiness. The pacing would have felt a lot smoother if these were dealt with.
While I found myself loving Annabelle as our main female character (and in her point of view) due to her unconventional reluctant âheroâ archetype, there were moments when her character felt too indifferent to what was going on. Big moments that should have been big for her, felt lackluster in her response. With that, her character was a little too self-aware of herself and her arc, which is an arc I typically love to see. A female character realizing her worth and seeing how she can use that to serve herself rather than what others want from her is such a good arc but these great moments in the narration would have been even better if she had been less aware and given the space to sit with what was going on around her. Delia and Iris were great supporting characters, especially in contrast with Annabelle, as well as Nico. Theo, I had difficulty getting a read on. I thought he had a front and that may be the intention here, but I was often confused about where he stood as a character and what his personality was. With Annabelle, there is so much potential between their characters because of their similarities but often, this is only scratched at the surface. Will say, that where they end up feels a lot stronger in the writing than where they are in the middle.
Approaching the theming, I think this a very timely novel and one that is easily digestible which is great for people just beginning to read in the fantasy genre. This novel has action and political machinations as well as bits of romance thrown in, so a reader will get a little bit of everything. I do recommend this book because there is so much potential here and I would be so interested in seeing how this series unfolds and how Cavalieri can expand upon her writing and the world!