The Ember and the Shadow

A year after the traitor Lord Valerius was brought to justice, the kingdom of Aethelgard enjoys a fragile peace. Warden Elara is finally building her dream: a Royal Academy where magic-users can learn their craft without fear. By her side is Commander Seraphina, the formidable leader of the Warden's Guard and the anchor of Elara's world. But their quiet life is irrevocably shattered when an assassination attempt on a northern general reveals that the shadow of Valerius and his Obsidian Hand...