Steadfast as Stone (The Shores of the Deluge, #2)

Born to poor farmers, Ash Carn truly came alive when her magic was awoken on a forested hill. The orcs who tried to ambush her and her brother were crushed as old trees were ripped from the ground, wielded by the elemental spirits of stone Ash summoned. Now, she is the mage for a powerful house, under the leadership of Duke Erike Eyvindar—a man she once swore to kill.

As war ravages the island realm of Wheyan, Erike and his house struggle desperately for survival. It has been four months since the elves invaded, and the war may finally end soon. Erike’s plan to destroy the elves’ slave army has been set in motion, ready to unfold at one of his people’s most sacred burial grounds. But on the eve of battle, an assassin armed with an enchanted blade strikes. As Erike wavers on death’s door, Ash must save him—or more than the war could be lost.

Meanwhile, forces lurk in the shadows, seeking to bring all in the Island Realms to their knees. As Erike’s homeland plunges into further turmoil, he must gather his friends and allies to push back the gathering darkness. But as those allies fall or turn their backs, Ash and Erike realize that their future may balance on the choices they make—and the moral lines those choices may force them to cross.