After the events of Shadow and Tide (2025), Mira finds herself imprisoned in the royal council’s court and forced into a deadly competition along with a boy named Kell, who’s also a captive. Each territory sends champions to the Trials, and victory brings power, alliances, and influence. To ensure Mira’s obedience, the council is holding her best friend, Agnes, hostage. As the trials commence, Mira and Kell, determined to stay alive, make deals with other contestants. Elsewhere, Brielle, separated from the powerful Coven Septern, forges her own path, building a new coven with two fledgling witches. Meanwhile, Lowri, teetering on the edge of burnout, is stranded in another world with Eli. As they unravel Eli’s father’s secrets, they discover the council’s hand in the realm’s ruin and realize they must return to their own world before it meets with the same fate. As the characters’ paths collide, the truth emerges: The council has wicked plans and together, the heroes must stop them from coming to fruition. The series closes with an explosive finale. Readers should be familiar with the earlier entries if they hope to follow the sprawling cast and their tangled relationships. Even returning fans may be challenged by the late reappearance of characters introduced in earlier books. Main characters are cued white.