While Esha, Diane and Kaab make the case for change and new ways of thinking, they face opposition from the Hill right down to Riverside from those with a vested interest in keeping things the way they are. The stakes may vary, but the game is getting very, very personal…
delia sherman
I’ve fallen behind on Tremontaine, so it’s time to quickly catch up! In Into the Woods, a party of nobles celebrate midwinter at Diane’s hunting lodge in the woods, but the Land calls for blood during the White Days and someone will have to pay the price. Behind the Mask sees Kaab closing in on the rixinkun’s secrets, whilst Rafe suffers a disappointment. Will Micah ever master the peculiar game of Social Graces?
Theron Campion, heir to Tremontaine, takes after his father the Mad Duke: smart and scandalous. Dallying at the University, he meets intense young historian Doctor Basil St Cloud and the pair begin a passionate relationship. But Theron has royal blood, and the North cries out the return of Kings and wizards. Will Basil’s research become the catalyst for a royal revolution?
As Basil is torn between his regret and his complex ambitions, an unexpected visitor arrives in Riverside. But Theron is teetering on the edge of madness. Will his half-sister Jessica intervene to help him – or will her own bitterness with Tremontaine tempt her to ruin him completely?
Basil believes he is shining a light on the past and exposing its secrets.The Serpent Chancellor knows that shining a light on a secret robs it of its power. But neither he nor Basil truly believe in the power of magic. As spring approaches, it may become impossible for anyone – least of all Theron – to deny the magic of the Land.
Theron loves Basil. Basil has doubts, but can’t deny his passion for his young lover. But one has the blood of kings – and kingslayers – in his veins, and the other is reading ancient books of magic at midnight. How much longer can they remain oblivious to the political riptides swirling around them?
A new generation dominates Riverside and the Hill. But old allegiances are coming to the fore. Kings and wizards have long been studied at the University, but as Northerners cry out for the return of the King, Basil St Cloud and his students may find their studies more political than historical. And the Hill has a history of solving political differences with swords…
