Every spell costs Hallie years she doesn't have to give.
Seventeen and already bearing the weight of Thornwick's future, Hallie watches her reflection age with each protection ward she weaves. She never asked to be duchess, never wanted magic that steals her tomorrows to save today. But when Baron Ravencrest's shadow falls across her borders, the curse that's killing her might be the only weapon her people have.
The stakes couldn't be higher:
Seventeen and already bearing the weight of Thornwick's future, Hallie watches her reflection age with each protection ward she weaves. She never asked to be duchess, never wanted magic that steals her tomorrows to save today. But when Baron Ravencrest's shadow falls across her borders, the curse that's killing her might be the only weapon her people have.
The stakes couldn't be higher:
- Accept Ravencrest's "marriage proposal" and watch her duchy become his conquest
Use forbidden artifacts that promise ultimate power at the cost of her humanity
Find another path through wisdom and sacrifice, knowing it might cost everything she has left
Forbidden relics whisper seductive promises—the Healing Chalice that drains life from the land, the Burden Stone that amplifies magic but devours decades with each use. Everything Hallie's learned about true authority tells her that fear builds thrones of sand while service forges kingdoms of stone. As political machinations threaten everyone she's sworn to protect, she faces an impossible choice: embrace the dark gifts that could save Thornwick instantly, or discover if hope and wisdom can triumph where raw power fails.
In a realm where magic ages you and political legitimacy comes from the stories people believe about their rulers, one young woman must decide what price she's willing to pay for the people she loves. Because the greatest magic isn't power at all—it's choosing who we become when everything depends on our choice.
You'll hold your breath as Hallie races against time itself to master the balance between power and responsibility. Start reading tonight and discover why readers are calling this "an unforgettable meditation on sacrifice and hope wrapped in a gripping fantasy adventure."
Perfect for fans of Robin McKinley's nuanced heroines and Brandon Sanderson's consequential magic systems.
Genre: Fantasy
Used availability for Keith Robertson's The Sorceress of Thornwick