Elara Vale has learned to hide the magic in her hands behind practical remedies and careful explanations. In a world where most adults can no longer see the fay folk around them, being able to sense their magic is dangerous enough. Admitting she can heal the wounds they leave behind would be worse. But when peaceful fay begin attacking humans near Briarford, secrecy becomes harder to justify. Children are bitten by redcaps. Old protections stop working. Rumors of war spread between the mortal world and the Evershade Court. Elara’s investigation draws her closer to Mr. Ashbourne, a thoughtful man whose loyalty, curiosity, and growing affection make him an increasingly important ally. Together they follow a trail that reaches from village cottages to powerful Sidhe, ancient bargains, and a fae queen with her own reasons for wanting the violence to end. Then a disturbing discovery changes the stakes: someone has tampered with Elara’s oldest memories. The damage may be connected to her family, her hidden magic, and secrets she was never meant to recover. To stop the conflict, Elara must enter Evershade itself, where mortal etiquette offers little protection and every beautiful face may conceal centuries of motive. Mr. Ashbourne cannot shield her from every bargain, but he refuses to let her face the danger alone. As political tensions rise and forgotten memories begin to stir, Elara must decide whom to trust in a conflict where both mortals and fae believe they have been wronged. The truth could restore peace between worlds, or reveal that the war began with a betrayal far closer to home.
Elara Vale has learned to hide the magic in her hands behind practical remedies and careful explanations. In a world where most adults can no longer see the fay folk around them, being able to sense their magic is dangerous enough. Admitting she can heal the wounds they leave behind would be wors...