Warnings: mortal injury, violence, war
The second volume brings more challenges for Freya, who is brought in the middle of the plot to free the Sigurdian. Alek and Julius follow her, and they are staying at a nobleman's manor, where Freya meets a maid who inspires confidence in her. Freya later on even rushes to her rescue, declaring a trial by combat against the noble, where she uses her newly learned skills, as well as her ideas of what the prince would do. However, there is much more than a simple duel to fight, as she realizes that the noble has betrayed the prince, and she has to rush to protect her soldiers from battle. I like her growth , and so does Julius, who is starting to gain a little respect for her; he is also aware of Alek's feelings for her, apparent by him teasing him over it. Personally, I am not invested in any romantic subplots as of now, and would rather it be kept for later, as Freya's transformation into the prince feels like a much more substantial and interesting plotline.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Viz Media LLC, via Edelweiss.