Breaking the tenets of Special Forces means one thing. Death.
Thorrn is an accomplished swordsman desperate for his promotion. But when the king orders that he hand over a girl from the fabled lost realm of Earth, Thorrnâs soul companion, Thorrn struggles to obey. If he doesnât bow to the kingâs wishes, he will be executed.
Aubin is sick of being an apothecary. Unable to defeat death, chafing at injustices piled on him, heâs ready to quit. But when he sees someone in distress and realises he could help, he is confronted with a life-changing choice â he will have to commit treason to remedy this.
Working together, the swordsman and the apothecarist come up with an unlikely plan. Only if they trust each other and put their egos aside can they defeat their common enemy. But do they even have a common enemy, and can the apothecarist be trusted at all�
Breaking the tenets of Special Forces means one thing. Death.
Thorrn is an accomplished swordsman desperate for his promotion. But when the king orders that he hand over a girl from the fabled lost realm of Earth, Thorrnâs soul companion, Thorrn struggles to obey. If he doesnât bow to the kingâs wishes, he will be executed.
Aubin is sick of being an apothecary. Unable to defeat death, chafing at injustices piled on him, heâs ready to quit. But when he sees someone in distress and realises he could help, he is confronted with a life-changing choice â he will have to commit treason to remedy this.
Working together, the swordsman and the apothecarist come up with an unlikely plan. Only if they trust each other and put their egos aside can they defeat their common enemy. But do they even have a common enemy, and can the apothecarist be trusted at all�
I darted into Gavainâs range. Ducking, I swung my practice blade to the side and scored a clear hit on the side of his chest. My closest friend staggered back a pace and shook his head, blond hair plastered flat with sweat. He rubbed his side. âBest you can do? You wouldnât have cut through ribs into anything vital with a weak swing like that.â
âNo, but you would be incapacitated enough for me to take your head off,â I countered, smiling. Gavain was excellent to spar with, and big enough to take even my hits. He had a bad habit of drawing back to recover, and I wasnât about to let him. I pressed forward, swinging and prodding with the sword, keeping him on the defensive, taking longer and longer strides to shove him backwards into a retreat.
Gavain grimaced, lunging forward. I saw it coming and rolled to the side. His blade missed me and thwacked into the field, tossing dirt in my face.
âLeft yourself open to that!â he crowed. I swore at him, rubbing my eyes clear to inspect my clothes. âWhat? Youâll have a bath after.â I swore at him again.
If he had muddied my jacket, especially on this important dayâŚ
âSpecial Forces, to me!â Captain Shard barked, his voice echoing through the field. With that, we quit immediately, saluted each other, and jogged back to gather in formation around him with the others.
âYouâre too showy,â Gavain argued, turning towards me. âYouâre all big, dramatic movements and wide, wild swings. You need more speed if youâre going to swing like that.â
My head buzzed like a travel mancerâs lodestone too much to think of a response.
Soon, she would be here.
âAre you even listening?â Gavain swore. âYou think you know it all.â
âI do,â I said with a shrug. âIâve taken it on board, Gav, let it lie.â
We approached our friend Aleric, who gave me a prompt slap on the back. âWhat did you do to your face?â he whispered underneath Captain Shardâs closing remarks.
âHe did it. Gav, youâre brushing off my jacket,â I complained, earning a laugh from Gavain. Narrowing my eyes, I shoved his arm. âIâm serious. It better not need a proper clean. You know what day it is today!â
He pretended to stagger to one side as a result of my push, bumping into someone else and causing a ripple in the formation.
âBoys!â Captain Shard barked. âShardsson, stay after dismissal.â
Gavain smirked. âOops,â he said with a slight chuckle. I balled my fists. âDonât worry. Sheâs here to meet you, not see your jacket.â
âTake it and brush it off. Please.â A quick inspection as I shucked out of the garment revealed a bit of dirt on the collar, but hopefully that would come off easily.
âIf it means that much to you.â With a mocking salute, Gavain took my jacket. He and Aleric walked toward the baths with the rest of Special Forces.
I approached my father alone as he finished off talking with Barlay, his second-in-command, then dismissed him. Barlay walked back to the barracks, head down as he shifted through some papers.
Taking a deep breath, I saluted my father. âCaptain, my apologies for that behaviour.â
His lips thinned, eyes holding mine in an unflinching stare. He spoke quietly, every word carefully placed. âI know today means a lot for you. King Gough is excited about the arrival of Roseâs daughter as well.â Another flip of my stomach. I kept my hands still by force of will.
My father went on, âI had to give my personal assurance to the royal family that Special Forces can defend them within the city, despite not having an incident for two score years.â The very edges of his lips tipped up. âI had to swear that all our fighters are professional, calm-headed, focused, and dedicated.â My father raised an eyebrow at me.
âYes, Captain.â I saluted. âI wonât let you down.â
âSee that you donât. Youâve not done irreparable damage⌠So far, anyway.â He touched my shoulder briefly. âI wish you well when you meet the daughter of the kingâs soul companion. I feel that she must be the one.â
I nodded, my stomach trembling with excitement, and saluted the captain once more. âIf thatâs all, sir, Iâd like to prepare.â
âPrepare? Youâll do fine the way you are. Just be yourself, Thorrn.â
âAye, sir.â
Shard nodded. âDismissed and fall out. And godâsâ luck, lad.â
Turning on my heel, I hurried to the baths, walking a quick march and keeping my head up and forward towards the castle courtyard. Ahead of me, messenger boys and girls darted in and out through the castle gates along the path to the city gates, then beyond to their destinations.
My stomach turned with a cocktail of excitement and nerves, but I slowed as I passed through the gatehouse and put my head into the guard post, which was ostensibly unoccupied except for a pair of boots on the table. Rapping my sword hilt on the lintel, the boots jerked off with a strangled oath to be replaced by a lined and worn face. I gave the Regular my best glare. The soldier muttered and mumbled something, pulling at his green uniform.
âName?â I demanded. Making a mental note of it, I walked on. It wasnât Special Forcesâ place to discipline the Regs, but slacking behaviour wasnât to be tolerated. Especially not today.
The castle courtyard seemed emptier than usual for just before mid-sun. The myriad entrances into the castle buildings were quiet, with only a trickle of movement. Functionaries whispered news of the daughter of the kingâs soul companion. âArriving soon â and by magical means, no less,â I overheard.
âWell, of course. Sheâs not going to walk up the city hill, is she? I wonder what sheâll be likeâŚâ
You and me both, I thought as I passed them, my heart thumping with anticipation. She wasnât royalty herself, but her motherâs status as the soul companion of the king made her a person of extreme interest in the court.
The air cooled as I passed into the gallery of the castle proper. The long gallery acted as the main artery to the building, a focal point and workspace both. It gave access to the Kingâs Lake, the gardens set inside the castle, and the mess hall. The main stairs dominated the gallery, leading up to the working level of the building.
Nerves pulled on my stomach, turning it away from the enticing smells coming out of the mess hall. I shook out my hands and took a deep breath, taking the stairs two at a time up towards the baths. I slowed as a stream of messenger lads chased each other down the spiral stairs from the hospitality and residential levels and spilled into my path.
One messenger swept by me so fast and dizzy from the turns that he stumbled. I grabbed the back of his shirt to steady him. âLet me go, sir. I didnât do nothing!â he exclaimed, trying to pull away.
âIâm not an Upholder, go to. Just play somewhere else.â I released him. Calling after his friends, he sprinted away.
Smiling to myself, I paced to the baths, squinting against the bright light opposite from the Sun Room, a completely glass room used to impress and host dignitaries. The dinner in honour of the daughter of the kingâs soul companion would be in there. Pressing my chest to feel the card of the invitation, I panicked when I couldnât find it. I relaxed when I realised that I had put it in the pocket of my jacket, and Gavain had that. Hopefully the dirt has come off itâŚ
I shouldered my way into the menâs baths, letting out a small breath of relief. The tiles rang with raucous shouts from Special Forces. Heads snapped up at me from the large bathing pool, coils of steam curling above them. I waved, and the men went back to their conversations.
Pulling off my shirt, I looked for a clear rack space to neatly fold it in, letting the noise roll around me. Gavain and Aleric sat with the rest of the contingent, leaning back along the edges of the steaming pool. The door opened again, and Special Forces looked up; it was merely a courtier, who backed out when he realised his error. Truth be told, I preferred the baths quieter than this; a lot of people avoided mid-sun, when the baths would be bursting with heavily tattooed swordsmen.
I had to scrub my hair fast in the wash area to catch up, then slid into the pool and waded toward them. Gavainâs nose wrinkled at me. âThat smells like lyneal,â he said.
âItâs supposed to make your hair shine.â I sat next to them, back to the edge of the baths, scanning the area quickly out of habit.
Gavain scooted away. âItâs giving me terrors of being laid up in the barracks and maltreated by Tabreksson. Yuck. I can almost taste the medicines on my tongue.â
âYes, but they work.â
âProbably because they taste so bad our bodies accelerate the healing process to spare us.â Gavainâs lips pinched. âTake it like a man, three times a day, exact proportions.â He mimed picking up a droplet of water. âToo much.â
âWhoâs that meant to be?â Aleric asked, brow furrowed.
âAubin Tabreksson, you dolt.â
I grimaced. âHe could come in here, you know.â
Gavain rolled his eyes. âYour jacket is fine, by the way.â
I let out a breath. âGood. First impressions count for a lot; I hope to make a very favourable impression on Roseâs daughter.â My hands trembled just thinking about it.
âThe son of the Special Forces Captain? Youâll be fine.â
âDonât forget, Iâm his very best swordsman too,â I said, dunking my head under to wash the lyneal off. âDid it work?â I asked, catching Gavain and Aleric exchanging glances. âWhat? I know Iâm not supposed to get anything but water in here, but itâs only lyneal.â
âNothing,â Aleric said. âWhatâs she like, then, the daughter of the kingâs soul companion?â
âI have no idea. Sheâs never been to Oberrot City. That means she almost must be my soul companion because I havenât found her yet and she hasnât found hers. It has to be, right?â I had had no success finding my soul companion thus far, even away on missions, and I had waited for turns and turns now. Finding oneâs soul companion was normal and expected and should have been easy in the foremost city on Oberrot. After all, being separated by continents was rare.
âDonât ask me, Iâm not a soul searcher,â Gavain said. âI found Zelora when weââ
âYes, I know, Gav. You donât have to remind me.â
âAnd you thought Zel was yours.â He snorted. My heart creased with remembered grief; the hope rising in my chest and how it was dashed to splinter against hard reality. I closed my eyes briefly.
Soul companions or souls were best thought of as one spirit inhabiting two bodies, each the embodiment or exemplar of the other. Gavainâs soul companion Zelora was as smart as Gavain and held a keen interest in exploring the world, an essence they shared. Aleric and Alyssia were more opposites: Aly was quiet, whereas Aleric never stopped talking. It was a widely held belief that spirits sought to experience both sides of a trait, a clash of opposites sometimes taken to extremes. However, at its true essence, the spirit would be the same. A pair could consist of someone brave and someone craven, but, when it mattered most, the true trait would be revealed in them both.
The bond between pairs lasted throughout their lives, allowing the partners to experience each otherâs strong emotions if they were close, and sometimes even share dreams. The bond was not that of lovers; marriage and unions were sought elsewhere, but you were only complete in this life when you had your soul companion by your side. Watching the pairs growing up, I noted how they reacted to one another without the other even speaking or when they sensed the other in pain, physical or emotional. That was the spirit they shared moving them as one.
It hurt to think about, but today the pain was tempered with excitement and â yes â rising hope.
I couldnât wait, and yet that was all I had ever done. It was almost unheard of to still be bereft of your soul companion at such a late age as me, something I was reminded of constantly, seeing everyone else with theirs.
âThe daughter of the kingâs soul will be something else,â Aleric murmured, raising his eyebrows at Gavain.
I straightened up. âSheâll be beautiful and adroit, the perfect consort, well-kept and sociable, the perfect complement to me. Sheâll dress well and keep abreast of city fashions â and maybe even inspire some looks herself. Sheâll be able to talk with any lord from any station, making connections all across the land.â Gavain and Aleric raised their eyebrows at each other. I scowled at them. âWhat?â
âSounds like a lot. Too much for you, maybe,â Gavain remarked.
âWeâll be perfect together,â I retorted hotly.
âThatâs a courtierâs soul companion, not the captainâs best swordsmanâs soul companion,â Aleric said. âWhatâs adroit mean, anyway?â
âI have no idea, but it sounds good. Sheâll be very useful when we go travelling to see other barracks and how they do things, adapting my own ideas ready for when my father decides to step down.â
âOho,â Gavain chuckled. âNow we get into it. Back to angling for the captaincy.â
âYes. I am the best. Iâll be the youngest second-in-command ever promoted and from there, the best captain Special Forces has ever seen. But for that, I need my soul by my side.â I smoothed my hair down. âOr is it better sticking up a bit?â
âThereâs a lot around here thatâs stuck up,â Gavain muttered.
âHuh? Oh, the back?â My hands shook while they settled my hair. I mastered my hands, calling quiet into my movements.
I needed a change of subject. âHow are your tattoos doing, Al?â
âArgh. This one itches.â He lifted his forearm, bright with a range of insignia and symbols. âItâs alright everywhere else, but this is right on the elbow crease. It keeps catching and opening.â He patted around a bright green mark; an intertwining circle ringed with swollen red skin.
âHuh.â I lifted my forearm. âI remember that, actually. When I had the Rushia campaign addedââ
âYes, Thorrn, yes. No oneâs been on more missions away than you. We know,â Gavain said with a roll of his eyes.
I touched the small tattoo. Our markings signified and celebrated our rank and accomplishments and were repeated across our bodies. âI only meant that that campaign tattoo went into my elbow crease and yes, it was slow to heal. That paste stuff works wonders.â
âIâll be certain to get some. If the ink falls out, the Lorekeeper will have to do it all over again. No thanks.â
After the baths, the men rejoined the women from the contingent. Lori stood to one side, eyes on the floor. Wondering how she fared, I hesitated next to her. âSwordswoman Lori, are you⌠hale and well?â
Head turning slightly, she said, âAs well as can be expected, I suppose.â Biting my lip, I dithered over how to proceed. She raised her eyes to mine, dark and full of pain. âYouâre meeting your soul companion today, I hear.â
It must have been the talk of the contingent. I felt my chest swell, but the enthusiasm was dampened. Lori had lost her soul companion recently, a short illness that no one expected. Having no idea what being bonded felt like, I had no way of framing what she was going through. It was said to be the worst pain, a terrible loss of half your spirit that greyed out all emotion thereafter, an ache that could never be salved. Breaking the bond hurt just as much, apparently, but a bond broken by an argument or a certain magic user called a soul searcher could be mended. A bond between spirits severed by death could never be repaired, only replaced with another.
Lori sighed. âIâll go down again to the soul searchers later. Might be that someone else is looking for â well, half a person, like me.â
I put my hand on her shoulder. âYouâre not half a person, Lori.â
âAs if you couldââ She shook her head. âForgive me, itâs been difficult. I finally understand what it must be like for you.â
Blinking at her, I wondered at that. I didnât feel like I was in pain.
âI didnât think Iâd ever replace⌠him,â Lori said finally. âBut I cannot live like this either.â She rejoined her closer friends, leaving me to my thoughts.
The contingent went down to the mess hall for mid-sun meal, but I excused myself to return to the barracks. The Regular at the guard post gave me a simmering scowl, but at least he marked the movements at the gates as he should.
The training grounds were empty, practice weapons and bales cleared away. Heat shimmered above the cobblestones to the barracks I shared with my contingent. Inside, I took a breath, thankful that it was still and quiet for once.
I went straight to my bunk, close to the door. The placement in the barracks marked a manâs level in the contingent. I was close to promotion to sergeant, an open position. Our contingent had been without a sergeant for a while since Philo had been moved to the training contingent.
I felt that my father danced along the edge of awarding me that promotion, except I couldnât be promoted. I gritted my teeth. Technically, I couldnât even call myself Special Forces. Entry to the most coveted section of the army reserved for protecting the king and his interests around the world required a test, the specifics of which were a closely guarded secret except that it involved oneâs soul companion. Without one present, Captain Shard had pointed to my accomplishments and record for King Gough to grant me entry, but that was by dispensation.
It didnât sit well with me that my cohort had had to endure something I hadnât, that I seemed to get in by exemption rather than by proving myself as they had. No matter. Once I had my soul by my side, everything would be smoothed over.
I dressed in my best shirt and stood at parade attention in front of the mirror, knowing full well that I could keep this stance for a half-day, but I found myself nearly doubling up with nerves. Today! I would meet my soul companion and find out my true nature, today!
I walked back through the castle gates, where that Regular was going to go cross-eyed glaring at me, and waited in the courtyard. I had wanted to meet the cavalcade at the Kingâs Lake, but I had been told by my father to give the kingâs soul companion, Rose, and her daughter some time to arrive and settle.
I paced back and forth. I didnât want to sweat into my fresh reds, but nervous energy twitched and tumbled in my limbs. Before I knew it, I had begun practising a form I found difficult, trying again and again to execute it the way my father continually berated me to do it. I could almost hear Gavain laughing and taunting my efforts. I went harder and faster, closer and closer to the cornerâ
I threw a punch just as someone emerged through the corridor, landing a solid hit on his cargo. Gasping, I lunged and caught him, but bottles tumbled and crashed to the floor. âGods! Are you hale?â I asked.
âDamn and blast. Lost it all!â
I set the Kingâs Apothecarist, Aubin Tabreksson, on his feet. His usually scowling face flashed pure hatred before a more neutral expression fell back into place. He brushed his jerkin down and seemed unhurt, more upset that his bottles were broken, frowning at them as if they had insulted him personally.
âAre you well, though?â I pressed.
âWhat do you think youâre doing?â
âI was practising. Youâre too quiet, so I didnât hear you coming.â My mouth thickened as it always did around the apothecarist.
âThatâs my fault, is it?â He unbuttoned his cuffs to roll up his sleeves. âLook at this mess. Do you have any idea how long it takes to steep turbrot? Of course you donât.â He shook his head and bent down.
I knelt to help. âLet meââ
âDonât.â Aubin grabbed my wrist hard, halting my hand stretching for the shards of glass. âYouâre lucky you didnât get any of that on you.â
I frowned at the veiled threat, then realised he meant the contents of the bottles. It stank of mould and decay. I backed away, not wanting to get any on my uniform.
He smirked, adding, âItâs highly acidic when it isnât diluted. If that had splashed on you, well, we wouldnât be talking. Youâd be screaming.â
âWhy are you carrying that around?â I took another step back from the noxious fumes.
âIt has medicinal qualities. That means it fixes people,â he said slowly to me, as if I might have trouble understanding. âItâs not poison. No matter what you might have heard.â Pulling on gloves, he gingerly cradled the broken bottles. âItâs expensive, though. Damn and blast.â
âI⌠How can I make amends?â I nearly bit my tongue. I swallowed, feeling the weight of mockery piling up between us.
He gave me a look as if he were sizing me up for a casket before shaking his head. âIâll add it to your balance sheet.â He picked up the sheared edges in curt movements.
âIâŚâ I squeezed my hands into fists. âI can make a full report to Captain Shard.â
Aubin chuckled. âIâm not going to tell your father, sir.â
I flushed, feeling the sting of sarcasm when he lingered on the ârâ in calling me sir. I always felt like I lost a conversation with Aubin, as if it were a bout rather than a bandy of words.
âWhat are you doing hereabouts anyway?â he asked.
âClassified.â
âOho, is it?â He smirked again. âLying in wait for assassins, no doubt.â He cocked his head. Moments later, I heard approaching footsteps. A small group.
My heart pounded. Her.
âCan ⌠Can you clean that up later?â I herded him by the small of his back toward the corridor. His eyes narrowed but he inclined his head, and then I had to bolt from the shadowed corridor toward the Kingâs Lake to present in front of the wide colonnade.
Here they were at last! King Gough himself seemed to be showing the girl around, his voice sonorous in explanation. I had my back to them, my heart thumping. Now, the moment had arrived, and it was all I could do to lock my knees upright.
âAnd here,â announced Rose, her voice quivering with anticipation, âis a member of Special Forces weâd like you to meet.â
âIs this some sort of set up?â There was an edge to her voice, one that made me frown. She was likely tired after her long journey. I smoothed my face.
âNot ⌠exactly, dear. Remember when I told you about things called âsoulsâ?â
My eyes bulged. How could she not know? I set my jaw, trying to maintain my composure. It was difficult when nerves rattled my bones and made my heart pound fast in my chest.
âOh yeah. Sure.â That surly snarl came again. I dismissed the thought with a shake of my head. I could not be having such ideas about my soul companion! I steadied my heartbeat as if going into battle.
âShardsson. Report!â Gough commanded.
I whirled around to face them in an attention stance.
I had to use all my training to stay still. At first, I wanted to rush to them, rush to her, but when I saw them, I was hit by confusion.
King Gough stood beaming in the doorway to the gallery, an expression he made seldom but which brightened his face when he did. Next to him was his soul companion, Rose, dancing from foot to foot. I had not seen much of her except to identify her by sight.
Between them stood a little girl. The relationship with Rose was obvious, with the same nose and roundness to the cheeks. She was the size of a child, coming no higher than the epaulettes on the kingâs shoulders, he himself being dwarfed by my height. She wore her hair loose in a tangle around her shoulders and sported culottes instead of a dress. Her red face was locked in a tight scowl. At first, I feared that to be her permanent expression, but the frown smoothed off her face and she regarded me with suspicion. Her eyes, a watery pale colour, took me in with arresting frankness.
I went down onto one knee, staring at the floor to buy myself time. She was so small, she definitely couldnât be my age despite the acute look in those round eyes. Besides, the soul of the next captain of Special Forces would be, well, taller than that! This could not be my soul companion.
âWho are you⌠Um. Do I know you?â Her voice was just as small as she was.
Rose squealed with glee. I raised my head just as the girl tumbled red-faced towards me. Standing up, I forced myself to stay still. âMy lady, no. This is the first time we have been introduced.â I tried not to let my bearing show any of my disquiet.
There had to have been a mistake. This couldnât be her; she was nothing like how she was supposed to be. Loss tore my heart open. At least I was used to being alone, and I picked up that burden once again.
She stared into my eyes. âI⌠Sorry, but, I mean, it does feel like I have met you, or I do know you from somewhere. I canâtâŚâ She gulped.
âI regret that you are mistaken,â I said firmly. Still, manners were manners, and while Iâd have to ask a courtier like my sister Sylvia to be precise, the daughter of the kingâs soul companion was probably due the same kind of greeting as a lady. I slowly put out my hand palm up to take hers so I could bow over it. It hovered between us, unanswered.
âYeah. Probably.â She shook her head.
Rose looked between us. âBut⌠You must be souls! This isnât right. Gough, are there any other men around the same age who have yet to find their soul?â
Disappointment closed my throat. This girl was not my soul either. Finding another potential candidate felt incredibly unlikely after all these turns. Crashing expectations soured my stomach. I knew it wasnât her fault, but my anger couldnât help turning her into a target. What aspect of me could she possibly represent? And what would she be like as a soul companion, anyway? All she looked to be was well-fed rather than well-bred.
I still proffered my hand, holding it out in mid-air. Rose motioned her daughter to try again. I could have told the girl not to attempt to re-engage, it was clearly never going to be a match. We were too different: she was short, round and rumpled to my towering height and hard-won form.
The girl peered up at me under her stubby lashes. Something stirred in me, the familiar longing. I thrust it down and away, as I always had throughout my life. Biting her lower lip, she flushed a little. I stayed still, setting my stance to be stone as she reached out.
We both gasped as our hands touched. Hers clutched onto mine, and I hastily snatched my hand away. She overbalanced and stumbled. Waiting a heartbeat to make certain she would not fall on her face, I took a step back, my heart beating too fast. Her face lit up and she rushed toward me.
Retreating, I bowed in haste to Gough and Rose. âMy king. My lady.â I nodded at the girl. âLady.â Turning smartly on my heel I marched off.
âWait! What?â Rose called after me.
âI was so sure they would bond,â Gough said with a deep sigh.
I closed my ears to them, my heart beating louder with every step I took.
Thorrn has waited his whole life for his soul, but when they meet, he rejects her, disappointed that she is nothing like the fantasy he built in his head. When he finally learns to accept Evyn for who she is, her life is threatened since she possesses Earthian blood. To what extent will Thorrn go to protect her?Â
The Tenets in the Tattoos by Becky James is a fascinating book with a unique storyline. The blend of sword-fighting, royalty, and magic of the fictional realm of Oberrot along with the modern technology and lifestyle of Earth made this an interesting read. I liked the idea behind each person having a soulmate, but in this case, they were companions or friends, not lovers. It is the first time I've come across such a concept.Â
The characters are well-written with distinct personalities. Thorrn did annoy me in the beginning with his harsh treatment of Evyn, but I warmed up to him eventually. I felt bad for Evyn for the way she is treated, but I also admire her ability to see past all that and be true to herself. My favourite would be Aubin. This is one character I loved throughout the book.Â
The book had a lot of action, humour, and emotions. I specifically enjoyed reading about Thorrn struggling with modern gadgets. The interactions between the characters seemed natural. I found myself laughing and, at times having tears in my eyes while reading the book. The author has done a wonderful job capturing the characters' emotions.
While the book was great, I struggled with parts that had the characters' alternate personalities. It became confusing and information-heavy for me. I found it difficult to keep up with who was doing what at a given time. I also felt that dividing the book into two parts would have been better, as the second half came across as a different book to me, more like a sequel.
Despite that, I loved the book. The ending was amazing with many characters finding love and acceptance. I'm relieved that it did not end on a cliffhanger. I would recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.Â