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283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2025
There was nothing but a remnant of grief within the walls. Aside from love, grief was the deepest emotion one could feel. Even when you think you’ve overcome it, it’s there, lurking in the shadows, ready to drag you back down... A little kindness when you feel like you’re drowning can go a long way.To be honest, I had no idea where this story was going, even though it takes place in a world I know from reading book 1. It’s the perfect novella. Expanding the world by bringing us to a new place, introducing us to more characters (but not in an overwhelming way), & providing additional insight to the story & characters we’d previously met. In fact, reading this book felt both comforting because I was able to travel back to Arresia & visit favorite characters again (I’m talking to you, Leith... I have some questions, buddy). And this novella felt fresh because the majority of it was all brand new—new setting, new characters, new insights. It really felt like the best of both worlds: a warm hug & excited giggles.
“I will keep you safe,” he whispered... A tear trailed down her face, and she felt the brush of his power against her cheek, echoing through that tiny drop of sadness and sweeping it away. “In the deepest waters, I will bring you to dry land. And when your love of the land has been exhausted, I will be your calming sea. You can trust me.”I think that’s one of the things I like most about Abigail’s writing. She writes about a world infected by death & hopelessness, but her characters are on a journey to restore their faith in the power of the human spirit & in actively choosing a better path. And with characters you can’t help but root for, even when they act in ways you might not agree with, at their core, they’re fighting for a better future... & we can all relate to that.
I do trust you.
She was here for a purpose. She was here, filled with the hope of the Light that so many did not yet have. That fact was generally the origin of her anxieties—when she could feel the darkness of the emotions of those around her and could do nothing to tame them. It was a curse to feel so deeply in a world of such unbearable pain.This book is told in 2 parts: 1 part is completely outside of book 1's events & 1 part skips around the second half of book 1's timeline. Part 1 give us a deeper understanding about Cove, who's a character from Rush of Ravens (book 1) that we didn't know much about, but was quite influential & showed a lot of potential for future books. After reading part 1, we know where she came from & the characters (& places) involved in her origin story.
She remembered the peace she had felt with him. Being with him was like getting a full breath of fresh air when she had been taking labored breaths her entire life. Elias’s presence was not draining to her, and his emotions brought joy, not sorrow. She had been living in a sea of sorrows her entire life, trying to catch a breath above the pain and suffering of those around her that threatened to drag her under. Those people had no hope—no Light. Cove longed to be surrounded by Light, by those whose minds had been transformed. By those who did not fear—by those who did not bleed night. She had let him love her because she did not think she would survive another day without it.Then we get to part 2, Cove has arrived in Ink Valley & travels to Oro, where we first met her in Rush of Ravens. We get to see her POV (& Leith's POV) to give us additional insight to the events of book 1. Abigail has always said this novella serves as a companion of sorts to further expand the series & I completely agree. I don't recommend picking up this book first, or if you do, then only read part 1 & stop > read Rush of Ravens > then read part 2.