The Fall of Waterstone (Book 2 in the Black Land's Bane Series)

Lilith Saintcrow's sweeping Norse-inspired epic fantasy series continues in the second volume, where an elemental witch and her shieldmaiden navigate a dangerous world of forgotten myth and deep magic. Solveig and her shieldmaid have finally reached the fabled Elder sanctuary of Waterstone, a city of healing and restful beauty hidden from the Enemy's gaze. However, whispers race through the palace halls, and those they have come to tentatively trust have hidden intentions.

The city serves as a refuge not only for the elementalist and her protector, but also for a mortal prince. Crucially, it holds a great weapon that only Solveig's kind may wield. Yet, Sol's faith in her own magic is perilously fractured, and she must rely on her wits and skills of negotiation to be heard, lest she become a pawn in a dark game played by Elder and Enemy alike.

The lord of the Black Land is mighty, and treachery slithers amid Waterstone's many wonders, with time growing short. Before the darkness finds a way in, Sol must decide who to trust, where to turn for aid, and whether to take up a power she cannot hope to control. Even the right choice may doom not just the home she has left behind, but the entire world.

The series continues with "Black Land's Bane" and "A Flame in the North," as Solveig and her shieldmaid navigate this dangerous and captivating world of forgotten myth and deep magic.

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