Shadowcaster (Shattered Realms #2) [9780062380975]

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima, this is a thrilling story of the unfathomable costs of war, the allure of dark magic, and two principled and conflicted characters drawn together despite everything they stand to lose.

Alyssa ana’Raisa, the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of the Fells, feels more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, Lyss goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life. If her gamble doesn’t pay off, she could lose her queendom before she even ascends to the throne.

Across enemy lines in Arden, young rising star Captain Halston Matelon is being sent on ever more dangerous assignments. Between the terrifying rumors of witches and wolfish warriors to the north and his cruel king at home, Hal is caught in an impossible game of life and death. 

Lyss and Hal’s intricately linked fates become inseparable when they fall under the shadow of a new enemy—a force that threatens to extinguish the last rays of hope in the Shattered Realms.

They are enemies sworn to destroy each other. What happens when a darker threat forces them to choose between their kingdoms and their survival?

• Enemies to Lovers: Heir to the Fells, Lyss ana’Raisa lives to defeat Arden. Captain Halston Matelon serves Arden, even as he despises his king. When their paths cross on the battlefield, an unexpected connection is forged in fire.
• A Reluctant Heir: Princess Alyssa was never meant for the Gray Wolf throne and is more comfortable with a sword than a crown. But with war on her doorstep, she must embrace her destiny or watch her queendom fall.
• Dark Magic: Beyond the war between kingdoms, a shadowy new power is rising. This dark and ancient magic threatens to consume both Arden and the Fells, forcing enemies into an alliance they never imagined.
• Military Fantasy: Experience the grit and sacrifice of a decades-long war, from the desperate charges of the northern warriors to the impossible choices facing a young captain deep in enemy territory.