Publisher Description
A healer who cannot be healed . . . When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art-until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill. A soldier shattered by war . . . Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule-even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self. Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn’t be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts. This smart, sweeping fantasy with a political edge and a slow-burning romance will capture fans of The Lumatere Chronicles and An Ember in the Ashes.
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“While the premise of two “rebel” characters trying to overthrow an “empire” that seeks to dominate everything is nothing new, I think Livia Blackburne’s take on the story is new.
This is more like a spy story in a fantasy setting.
Let’s just say there’s a bit of a “Jason Bourne” component to this story. With the help of Zivah’s potions, a character can have his own memories “temporarily” erased and taken back.
It allows for some interesting plot points especially when Dineas hates the empire and can’t stand the thought of being chummy with their soldiers and then the amnesiac Dineas is all open and friendly with them.
There’s also the romance component where the normally closed off Dineas falls in love as his “amnesiac” self.
It was just really interesting in my opinion”—
NMPÂ (4 out of 5 stars)
