Hidden Allies

The Living Oracle #4

by Melissa McShane

Helena Campbell, oracle and mother, has lost much thanks to the secret war between her allies, the magic-wielding Wardens, and their enemies the Savants. With friends disappearing or injured, her beloved home destroyed, and her children’s lives at risk, she knows what threats to defend against.

That is, until elves trapped for a thousand years of poisoned imprisonment join the fight, looking for revenge.

When a fugitive elf woman dies in her backyard, leaving behind her infant child, the discovery turns everything Helena believes about elves on its head. In the conflict between elves and humans, one innocent child may shift the balance of power—and force Helena to make the most difficult choice of her life.

Genres: Fantasy

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2025

About the author

Melissa grew up a nomad, following her family all over the United States, and ended up living in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three very needy cats. Her love of reading was always a constant during those uncertain years, and her love of writing grew out of that. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, and was surprised at how much she liked it. She loves the fantasy genre and how it stretches the imagination.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review may contain minor spoilers. Proceed at your own risk!
I absolutely love Helena and Malcolm and their family. They're so perfectly normal even though Helena is an Oracle and so are hers and Malcolm's kids.
A surprise visit from faerie shocks the Campbells. I love how much Helena jumps into the role of temporary caregiver of their new charge. She's not afraid to do what's truly right and she stands by her convictions.
The battle with the Savants takes a backstage in this book because we're learning more about and actually spending unintentional time in faerie. The description of how much faerie has been affected by the curse is amazing. I love that McShane has built this incredible world and all these little details that make it come to life. There's airlocks to keep the bad air out of elven homes. Cool face-fitting masks and cloaks to protect when you're out in it. Such an imaginative idea!
Helena, Viv, and Judy are such a powerful trio of friends who help and lift each other up. They're so fun to read about.
I love the twist at the end with Helena's little charge and the total shock of what happens.
The very end of the book is a definite cliffhanger and I can't wait until Book 5 is out!

[June Calvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden Allies is the fourth book in The Living Oracle series by Melissa McShane. I believe this is my favorite book yet in a series that just seems to grow better and better as it goes along. Helena and Malcolm continue their struggle with the elves invading the human world from the polluted land of faery.
This time the struggle becomes very personal as the king of the elves abducts Helena and her two best friends. The elven king is surprised to learn that Helena, the living oracle, is not the ruler of her people. He has similar oracular powers and thinks the individual with that power would naturally be the ruler.
Hidden Allies contains McShane’s trademark non-stop pacing as various factions of the elven and human world come into conflict. Helena has quite unexpectedly become the caretaker of an elven toddler, and this has a big role to play in the plot. I suspect it will continue to reverberate in the next book, which I can’t wait to read.
If you enjoy fantasy elements, high adventure, and a blistering pace, you too will love this book. Highly recommended!

[Nicole N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melissa McShane is a wonderful author. Her story telling has such captivating details, I can always visualize what I am reading. This is book 4 of the living oracle series which is a spin off of the last oracle series. Helena the main character, the living oracle, has a difficult decision. She is a Warden and she protects their world from evil, including the elves. But, are all the elves evil? There is a war brewing between humans and elves and within the elvine world Fairie. I do hope there is another book as I believe so much more must be accomplished. I will not spoil it but this is a must read.

[Lisa Venerussi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books in this series, ‘Hidden Allies’ is full of action and adventure as the conflict between Humans and Elves heats up. We get to visit the Elves’ world, and see how Helena, Viv, and Judy work together to thwart the Elves’ plans. I found this book also cleverly built a sense of sympathy for the Elves; despite the book ending with an ominous tone for the future, I’m wondering if perhaps a peaceful conclusion is not far off. Very enjoyable, as always, and I look eagerly forward to what I guess will be the conclusion of this series in the next book.