Elisa has shown herself to be a great leader with the potential to be a more than capable ruler. But, her throne isn't secure and her people's enemy still hunts her.

To conquer the power she bears, once and for all, Elisa must follow a trial of long-forgotten—and forbidden—clues, from the deep, hidden catacombs of her own city to the treacherous seas. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man whom—despite everything—she is falling in love with.

The character development from Carson is so wonderful and natural. There's no insta-love at all in this trilogy. Elisa is young and she has had her tender, sweet first love. She's experienced loss and tragedy and has been forced to overcome the odds and find her footing. She rises to the challenge every time and I really feel a true person developing here into her adult self. I am stingy giving out five stars, and I don't round *up* to the next star if I felt the book was deserving of a little bit more — like a half-star — despite the whole-star rating system on Goodreads. I really loved this book. It was such an excellent sequel in a world where far too many sequels (books and movies) suffer from a slump. I can even say I felt this was a better book than the first, which is even rarer.

Carson's descriptions and sequencing were both top drawer; I was transported to each of these locales. I was there with Elisa, and it was quite an adventure.