The crackle of flames haunted Alika. The squelch of wet mud made her heart race. And the blood... she always saw the blood.
Alika ran.
She never stopped running.
Guided by fear and bound to the ancient Rowan magic within her, Alika carries a promise forged in blood generations ago: never again would that magic be used to murder. Yet preserving life has left her with little life of her own.
Fleeing and surviving are all that matter-until the magic begins demanding more. It leads her to a kingdom at war, where the legendary Wolf of Nazkere stands against an enemy that leaves only slaughter and enslavement in its wake. Allies refuse to answer the call. The rebellion is failing. Nazkere stands alone.
Drawn into the conflict, Alika can no longer ignore the wounded, the dying, or the orphaned. Nor can she ignore the man they call the Wolf. With him comes the possibility of a future she thought impossible, a place to belong. But reclaiming her freedom may require sacrificing the desires of her own heart.
As war closes in, her power grows, and the Rowan magic demands obedience to its ancient vow. To protect those she loves, Alika must master the magic before it masters her... or risk becoming the very weapon she was sworn never to be.
In the shadows of war, morality and duty collide.
The choice is simple.
Flee or fight.
Live or die.
Woman or witch.
The consequences are anything but.