We follow Lady Lyriana, of Ka Bamaria / Heir to Arksava, on her journey of self-discovery and protection of those she loves. As a lady, she enjoys all of the perks and fluff of a noble born heir, until her world is turned upside down amidst political turmoil and unforeseen magical happenstances. She is determined to come out the other side stronger, and we love a powerful leading lady!!!! You choose. You can let what the others think about you be right, you can let your guilt and shame hold you down, or you can decide your fate, assert the strength you do have, become stronger than ever before. But you have to claim it. And when you do, you can be freer than a seraphim. Stronger than a gryphon. No ropes can hold you. No cage can trap you." This story is about Lyriana who is an Heir to the Arkasva and third in line in the Ruling Ka (yes it’s confusing just bear with me…). Two years prior, on her birthday and her cousin’s Revelation Ceremony; her cousin is arrested and killed for being in possession of one of the three Vorakh, taboo powers after the Drowning of the empire - visions, mind-reading and teleportation. Lyr’s father protects her eldest sister from discovery as she is also in possession of one of these forbidden powers (Visions). A year later Lyr��s middle sister also has to be protected as she possesses Mind Reading. Lyr does everything for her sisters as it’s a death sentence for the whole family if their secret is ever discovered. On Lyr’s Revelation Ceremony she is sure that she is going to be revealed as Vorakh. However events transpire and to stop herself from being banished from the Empire she has seven months to train as a brutal warrior and pass a test of strength. Did I mention that her main trainer is Lord Rhyan Hart, the man she has been in love with since she was seven…

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vorakh are not as dangerous as believed! I think that they were outlawed by the "bad guys" as a way to weaken the "good guys." I think that part of the binding is what is causing 5he ill side effects of those with a vorakh and this will all be discovered later! Or at least I hope so. 😅 I want Meera and Morgana to find a way to control their gifts and be able to help Lyr in her coming fight.

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Faced with death in exile, and leaving her sisters behind, Lyr has no choice but to accept a deadly contract. She has seven months to train as a warrior and pass the Emperor’s brutal test of strength—all without magic. There is some sort of love triangle goin on, but not really, because while Lyr and Rhyan (and did I mention he's beautiful) clearly have feelings for each other, they can't act on them because it's forbidden. Doesn't end on an exciting cliffhanger, but more of a "to be continued." it's like pausing the Mulan movie right before her personal-growth/training montage

Authors, if you are a member of the Goodreads Author Program, you can edit information about your own books. Find out how in this guide.There's a super cool magic system, Lyr's sisters who I need to know more about, and a setting that I can't wait to delve into in the sequel. But most of all...there's Rhyan. The worldbuilding is actually pretty awesome (which is why I gave it two stars and not one)—but I read half the book and I barely get where we are/what’s happening/where the story is going. I’m the first one to complain about info dumps but this—this is too much too fast. I saw multiple spots where the story would’ve benefited off of spending a paragraph or two going over the weird fantastic creatures they have, or the layout of the land, or the socio-political structure of their society, and where all of that stands in relation to the human world (which they off-handedly mention like, once?). Also, the plot is just so choppy. No seamless flow at all. Suffice it to say that I’m very lost. Lyr’s own cousin was executed for wielding the wrong kind. And for years, Lyr has sworn to protect her older sisters, helping them conceal their own illicit magic. I strangled rumours, covered missteps, and danced day and night to keep everyone’s eyes on me and not my sisters.”

There are some really interesting storyline’s to do with guilt & pressure & I loved seeing how that can manifest with feeling tied to someone (Tristan) & look forward to seeing how this will all play out. I much prefer where she ends the book vs where we meet her. I'm sure I'm supposed to feel more for her considering the secrets she carries and the position(s) she finds herself in during this book and maybe it's the kinda first person single PoV but I wasn't really invested till towards the end and she finally starts taking ownership + actually makes a decision for herself 😬I was not ready for this masterpiece! This book needs all the hype!!! Like shout it from the rooftops, display a full on bat signal. The world needs to know about this book!!! This didn’t stop me from not loving the book. It feels like this book is setting the scene and laying the foundation for what is yet to come in the subsequent books and you can spot small seeds that have been planted and hinted at that I hope will start growing soon in book 2. The way she's always putting others's needs above hers, the way she's simply a fighter but capable or recognizing her limits, made my newest obsession with this series possible. Rebel forces, and an invading army, are destabilizing Bamaria, just as her family’s secrets threaten to reveal themselves.