For a moment, I see nothing but the flash of blades, hear nothing but screams and swords meeting flesh, remembering too well the melody of battle, the tune of war.

Yet you keep it,” I’d said, not understanding the depth of his words or the fact that they would one day change my world. But fate has other plans in store for Raina. On Collecting Day, an even more dangerous threat appears, and Raina’s world is turned upside down. Out of the chaos emerges the Witch Collector, Alexus Thibault, the very man Raina vowed to destroy. Now, he is the only one capable of helping her rescue her sister. Together, they venture into a world of ice, fire, and ancient gods with the fate of their empire at stake.My chest tightens at the sound of my parents’ names. When they met in the Northland’s southernmost city of Malgros, my father was Head Sentry for the Northland Watch, a guard witch assigned to protect the port. My mother was also a guard, often stationed near my father’s territory. A short time after Mother became pregnant with Nephele, tensions between the southern queen, Fia Drumera, better known as the Fire Queen, and the East’s King Regner, created unrest. As the southern and eastern breaks prepared for war, the Northland peoples along the coast feared the conflict might finally spill across the sea to our shores. Then Fia Drumera killed Regner, and soon, in the east, a mystical prince with no name rose to power.

Slowing to a stop, my smile fades. A woman stands at my side, face pale and tight with alarm. She’s the boy’s mother, I assume, and my presence is not a welcome sight. I hand over the child. Instead, I draw my sword, the ring of metal sending a rush through my blood. The man in me will have to be enough. Weaks’ vivid descriptions and detailed world-building transported me into the mysterious woods Raina and Alexus journeyed through. The story’s protagonist, Raina Bloodgood, captivated me with her determination and strength as a witch. Her unique sign language and unwavering desire to defeat the Frost King and Witch Collector made her a relatable character. Raina’s transformation from a vengeful witch to a selfless hero willing to risk everything for her kingdom and sister showcased Weaks’ writing talent. The boy tosses the platter aside. With one protective hand clutching his sister, he swipes a dagger at an approaching Eastlander with the other. He misses and drops his blade.Oh thank gods Helena was freed! And Alexus is a badass! At least if he would stop needing to be rescued so many damn times. And Raina needs to get over her frustration with Alexus. He's a good man. I remind myself that Raina has long been a woman, not a girl. A woman whose face lingers in my mind when it has no reason to. I don’t doubt that, but I still don’t know what to say. We spar by the stream every week, Helena giving me covert fighting lessons, and still, I had no idea she wanted any of this. I’m one of the people so protective of her, but I can sympathize. I know what it’s like to want a different life. But where I want a life of peace, Helena wants a life of duty.