The peace that saved their world is dying—and it wants a heart in exchange.Once, Sir Caelan Morren was a hero of the Radiant Crown. Now he kneels in the ashes of his childhood village, branded a traitor for a massacre he tried—and failed—to stop. Exiled and haunted by the faces of his slaughtered kin, he has sworn one last oath: no more innocent blood.Far within the Elven Woodland, Lysandril Naerith is being hunted by her own. As the chosen Heir of Lyrinthar, she is bound by prophecy to ascend as the next Keeper of the Sacred Flame—the mystical fire that has preserved human-elf peace for two centuries. But Lysandril uncovers a forbidden truth: the flame is fading, poisoned by hidden treacheries, and her "e;ascension"e; is a sacrifice disguised as destiny.When a failing omen drives Caelan into the cursed forest and Lysandril into his path, their uneasy alliance may be all that stands between two nations and annihilation. Together they must cross haunted groves, outwit vengeful spirits, and unravel a conspiracy rooted in the very oath that bound their peoples.But at the heart of the woodland, the Sacred Flame of Lyrinthar awaits—and it demands not blood of enemies, but love freely given.As war drums thunder beyond the trees and forbidden feelings ignite between them, Caelan and Lysandril must decide:Whose heart will burn to keep the world from burning?Perfect for fans of character-driven epic fantasy, star-crossed allies, and magic that always exacts a price.
