Vireo Reinhold relishes collecting his monarch’s proper dues. Working hard to prolong and fund the king’s never-ending war, the self-centered official revels in the perks of luxury that come with his unorthodox role. But his world upends when he unearths an ancient spellbook that promises to unlock a shadowy, forgotten magic. Embroiled in a secret affair with a fellow noble’s wife, Vireo is mortified when he’s forced to commit an unthinkable act.

Bo, an Orc unlike any other within the fierce ranks of the Fire Tusk Clan, stands at a crossroads. As he nears the age of initiation, the expectation to embrace the clan's ruthless warrior spirit weighs heavily upon him. But Bo harbours a secret passion that sets him apart—a deep-seated love for music and storytelling. You see, Bo doesn't want to be a warrior, he wants to be a bard. When his moment of truth arrives, Bo's refusal to conform to the violent rites of passage leads to disaster.

As Elder turns against Elder and riders clash, Holt and Ash fight to protect the people of the Fae Forest as Thrall seeks to blight every creature within it. On the front lines their only real aid comes from Holt’s new lunar blade, and a dangerous new ally whose claws cut both ways. In the west, Athra and Risalia have dragged Talia into war. She can’t bring peace without pain; told she can’t be a rider and a queen; torn beyond duty and her dream beyond the dream. There are no good options, not without becoming the monster her enemies claim her to be.

With his 15th birthday just around the corner, Arnold Ethon's feeling the pressure. He still doesn't have a Spirit Beast, that special creature deeply connected to a person's soul. It's like a mirror of their inner self. Some lucky ones get unique powers that match their Spirit Beast, while others can even make these mystical beings appear in the real world. But Arnold? He's still waiting for his to show up.

Marlow needs to believe she's crazy. The alternative would mean embracing the gift—or curse—shared by her mother and grandmother: she can see angels and demons, including a dark and haunting entity who's been with Marlow her entire life. At least, she believes that's all he is until a fae from the Nordic pantheon strolls into her life and informs her that she's been sharing a bed with the Prince of Hell.