Ambition drives her. Danger thrills her. But magic always has a price. Twenty years have passed since the Darkmage was destroyed and the war between mages ended. For Lira Astor, the single living heir to the Darkmage, escaping her name is impossible. People still fear what is long dead, and they see in her the rise of another dangerous mage with deadly ambition. Desperate to claw her way free of her grandfather’s shadow, to make her own name amongst the world of mages, Lira is willing to do whatever it takes. Even if that means joining the secretive rebel group looking to restore his vision. Survival is a lesson Lira learned early and often, yet when she is abducted and held prisoner in a deadly game of cat and mouse, she finds herself facing a nemesis she may be no match for. Forced to band together with unlikely allies who challenge everything she believes about what it means to be a mage, she will have to rely on every bit of ruthlessness she possesses. Because the war may only just be beginning… …and Lira Astor intends to come out on top.

Loyalty. Magic. Ambition. Which will triumph? Returned to Temari Hall after her abduction, Lira’s ultimate ambition remains unchanged. Destroy Underground and leverage that victory to rise up the ranks of the Mage Council. Make them all forget about the Darkmage and remember her instead. To do that, she must win back the trust of Underground while secretly spying on them for the Mage Council. Exposure would mean her death at the hands of the powerful Shadowcouncil. But the arrival of Ahrin Vensis at Temari Hall places Lira in greater danger than ever before. The Darkhand’s agenda is unknown, and she hides secrets that could undo everything Lira is working towards. Winning the Darkhand to her side would guarantee victory, but to do that Lira will need to betray those who offer a gift she’s never had but always yearned for… acceptance and friendship. Can she successfully walk the line between ambition and loyalty, or will Lira’s hunger for danger leave her standing amidst the ashes of all her hopes? Dive into this epic fantasy adventure filled with magic, unlikely friends, sinister villains and epic battles today. This series is perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and the Black Witch Chronicles.

They thought the Darkmage’s cause had died. They were wrong. Lira Astor has been rotting in prison for over two years. The passage of time has only reinforced her determination to be free of her cell and wreak a trail of destruction on those who put her there. No longer avoiding her name, Lira Astor has accepted her heritage. When a shocking disappearance sends old allies looking for Lira’s help, she uses them to get what she wants. Freedom. A chance to burn Lucinda and the Shadowcouncil to ashes. Yet vengeance means more than just relying on those who once betrayed her. Lira will be faced with an enemy more powerful than she could ever have imagined. To survive, the heir to the Darkmage will be faced with a choice. Take on her grandfather’s mantle, for real this time. Or lose the thing she loves most in this world.

Love drives her. Magic fuels her. But vengeance always has a price. To save Ahrin Vensis, Lira Astor has agreed to take control of the Mage Council and use that power to subdue the kingdoms on behalf of Lucinda and the Seven. She must succeed where her grandfather—a vastly more powerful mage—failed twice. And to do that, she will have to face down Alyx Egalion, the woman who destroyed the Darkmage. Lira is no fool. Lucinda is the most daunting adversary she’s ever faced, and the task before her seems impossible. But Lira is determined to win this time. To succeed, she’s going to have to pull off a con of epic proportions, and all without the help of her Darkhand. But Lira has learned. She has allies now. Friends even. Lira Astor doesn’t give up. And she doesn’t lie down. She’s going to beat them all. Or she’s going to die trying.