Divine Blood Summary
Prologue: Dynalya
Every ten years, Dynalya’s village is plagued by a Shadow Demon that appears under a full moon during the winter solstice. The Shadow has previously been stopped twice by Dyna’s grandfather and great grandfather, but it is set to return to the village tonight. Dyna relives the memory of that night, and sees herself holding her baby sister Lyra while her brother Thane sleeps in his bed beneath the window. She overhears her mother (Ayla) and father (Baden) arguing about whether to stay or flee from the village. They decide to save their family by fleeing through the Forbidden Woods to Lykos Peak, where Belzev (her uncle) has offered them shelter.
As they plan their escape, Dynalya’s father reveals that he has several rare Waning Amulets that will conceal the family from the Shadow. Dynalya’s mother uses one amulet to fetch Grandmother Leyla, and Baden wears a second amulet to escape with Thane. When Baden gives a third amulet to Dynalya, the Shadow Demon appears at the window, its eyes glowing molten red. Struck with fear, she drops her amulet and is immediately ensnared by the demon’s magic. Her father swiftly places it around her neck, breaking the demon’s hold on her and saving her life. At the same time, Thane is awoken by the commotion and is immediately trapped under the demon’s power.
The demon attacks.
Chapter 1: Dynalya
Dynalya, now age 18, awakes from her nightmare in the present day. Having survived the Shadow’s attack nine years ago, Dyna now lives with her sister Lyra and grandmother Leyla. Her father, mother, and brother Thane did not survive. Dyna is left with the trauma of that night and a terrible fear of the dark, as she always sees the red eyes that haunt her. There is a little over one year until the next return of the Shadow.
The village of North Star was spelled by the Old Mages to remain magically hidden from the rest of Urn, but the current village council is considering allowing outsiders in to help hunt and defeat the Shadow demon. They have not been able to replicate Baden’s magical Waning Amulets. The energy source for all magic, as well as the life force for mages and sorceresses, called Essence, is weakening in some of the council members, including Lady Samira. Dyna uses her own Essence to unlock her ancestor’s journal and a map of Urn that she plans to use to help her find a way to protect her village. Grandmother Leyla convinces her to speak at the council meeting.
Chapter 2: Dynalya
Dyna, her grandmother, and the villagers gather in the town hall for the council meeting. The villagers are in an uproar, demanding to know what the council plans to do about the Shadow and most want to leave North Star. But Lady Samira reminds them that mages outside the village seek to steal Essence, which they can sense especially strong in women. Because of this, none of the villagers can flee to safety. The town council already sent an expedition to the Magos Empire to gather Luna Reeds to make more Waning Amulets over a year ago, but the expedition has not returned. Dyna questions why the village council has not done more to protect them, just as her father tried to do nine years ago. She states they will once again be responsible for more deaths because they refused to listen to him then, as they refuse to listen now. The statement startles Lady Samira and she faints.
Chapter 3: Dynalya
While Dyna treats a weakening Lady Samira, she confesses to Dyna her continued guilt over the role she played in Baden’s death and the continued endangerment for the villagers. Dyna begs Lady Samira to let her leave the village to search for a way to defeat the Shadow, but Lady Samira instead suggests that Dyna would have a greater impact by taking her seat on the town council after she has passed on. Dyna agrees, but Lady Samira’s Essence fades too quickly, and she dies just before she is able to officially name Dyna as her chosen successor. Seeing an opportunity to seize power, Lorin (council member) pushes to have a vote for a new Head Councilor, and successfully blocks Dyna from taking Lady Samira’s seat.
Feeling like she has no other choice, Dyna writes letters of farewell to her sister and grandmother. She gathers her father’s enchanted cloak and the journal. Gathering her father’s Waning Amulet, she gave one to Lyra and left the four remaining amulets to her grandmother to pass on incase she does not return in time. Dyna sets off into the night, heading through the Forbidden Woods, marked as Hilos on the map, so she can quickly reach her cousin Zev in Lykos and begin her search for a way to defeat the Shadow.
Chapter 4: Dynalya
As Dyna travels through the Forbidden Woods, she comes across glowing fauna and blue trees. Dyna moves silently and quickly, trusting her father’s enchanted cloak to keep her hidden. But a strange melody leads her off course and she quickly becomes lost in the forest. While trying to find her way back, she comes across a beautiful black feather next to a Hyalus tree. She takes the feather and begins retracing her steps, but becomes caught in a hunting trap. As she comes face to face with a group of stunning, golden-haired, white-winged males, led by Captain Gareel, she faces certain death for trespassing on their lands. Right before they are about to execute Dyna, a mysterious winged stranger appears, holding the flute that must have played the music that drew her away, and commands the group to release her. She tries to defend herself from Captain Gareel by calling on her Essence and unexpectedly blasts him with green fire.
Fleeing as quickly as she can from her captors, Dyna blindly runs through the forest until she reaches a cliff, just within sight of Lykos Peak. She runs across the rickety bridge connecting the two sides, falling through the decaying planks and straight into the arms of the black-winged stranger who stopped her execution and has now saved her life a second time. Her savior immediately dumps her on the ground with disgust and says, “You are an incredibly stupid human.”
Chapter 5: Cassiel
Cassiel, a Celestial prince, has broken laws that have been in place for half a millennium by sparing the stupid human’s life. His people live in Hilos, the high court of the Celestials, and have not been in contact with humans or the outside world for over five centuries. Dyna insists that she owes Cassiel a life debt for saving her life, but he refuses to use the sickening human custom. Ignoring Cassiel’s inquiries about why she has intruded on their lands, Dyna sets off by herself to continue trying to reach Lykos Peak. An irritated but curious Cassiel follows her into the woods of Lykos Peak to bring her back before she finds herself in even more danger, but they come face to face with a were-beast before they are able to fly away to safety.
Chapter 6: Cassiel
Dyna is tackled by the gray wolf, but Cassiel is able to throw the beast off her just as her cousin Zev appears and transforms into his black wolf form. Zev defeats the gray wolf, and Dyna runs to hug him just before he transforms back into his human form—which should not be possible since it is not nighttime. Cassiel looks on with confusion as Dyna tends to Zev’s wounds, and Zev explains that the gray wolf, Faolan, had gone feral and had to be stopped. Cassiel and Zev clearly don’t trust each other, but both agree that Dyna has put herself in unnecessary danger by traveling alone to Lykos Peak. As the rest of the Lykos Pack approaches, they flee back to Hilos, where Cassiel finally introduces himself as Cassiel Soaraway, third prince of Hilos, and Dyna and Zev both introduce themselves as part of House Astron, one of the most powerful mage families in the Magos Empire. Dyna begins to realize there are many things about the world outside her village that she does not know.
Chapter 7: Zev
Zev’s protective wolf instincts rise to the surface as Dyna begins to panic at the prospect of being hunted in the woods at night, and a flock of Celestials descends upon them. Captain Gareel announces the presence of His Royal Majesty, the High King of Hilos and the Four Celestial Realms, Yoel Soaraway. Zev is shocked when Cassiel speaks up on Dyna’s behalf, and grants her royal immunity and amnesty. As the king Soul Searches Dyna, Zev reaches out for her, causing an archer to release his arrow at the potential threat. Zev knocks Dyna out of the way, but Cassiel has already moved between Dyna and the archer, the arrow lodged in his hand. Dyna rushes to care for his injury and is shocked to see that he has healed almost instantly. Rather than call for exile or removal of the archer’s wings, Cassiel grants the archer mercy. Satisfied that Zev and Dyna mean them no harm, the king invites them to dinner at the castle.
Chapter 8: Zev
As they arrive at the ornately decorated castle, Cassiel warns them not to speak, touch, or offend anyone while they are there, especially the queen. They meet not just Queen Mirah, but Prince Malakel, Prince Tzuriel, and Princess Ariel. The King is enjoying his conversation as he learns more about Dyna, especially when she reveals that she is an Herb Master at such a young age, but it becomes clear that the rest of the royal family does not hold humans in high regard. Zev, observing how the royal family treats Cassiel with open disdain, surmises that Cassiel must be a crossbreed sired by his father, but that the queen is not his real mother. Malakel openly questions High King Yoel’s judgment on bringing a human to the Celestial Court and is banished by the king from dinner with threats of being exiled and his wings removed.
Chapter 9: Dynalya
After the royal family’s outbursts at dinner, High King Yoel brings Dyna, Zev and Cassiel to his study to discuss the long history between humans and Celestials. The Accords between the Celestials, Pack Alphas, Elven Kings, Fae Gentry, and the sovereign of every mystical creature prevent anyone from speaking about these events in Celestial history, but High King Yoel grants an exception for one night.
Long ago, the human city of Gamor once revered the visiting Celestials for their beauty, healing abilities, and long life span, believing they were sent by the Gods of Urn to defend them from demons. The Lords of Gamor struck a trade agreement with Celestial High King Rael, and Celestials began giving their blood to humans out of compassion and kindness to help the city grow. Seeing an opportunity to gain even more power and wealth, the humans became greedy and began using poachers to kill Celestials and forcibly take their blood and wings. The humans also took female Celestials in hopes of siring their own Celestials, but did not realize that the younglings did not yet have healing abilities, and many died. Younglings do not develop divine blood until they grow their wings around three years old, and their wings become their power center. The Decimation of Celestials went on for many years, in part because the Celestials thought this punishment was the will of the God of Urn, Elyōn, and were unwilling to take a human life in retaliation. As human greediness spread to the Four Celestial Realms, King Rael left Hilos to aid them, and Queen Sapphira went to beg the Lords of Gamor for peace. They ignored her pleas and instead tortured her to death. King Rael felt the agonizing death of his True Bonded, and in his grief and anger, he laid waste to every human and half-breed Celestial in the city of Gamor.
Chapter 10: Dynalya
In the aftermath of the Decimation of Celestials, the Celestials retreated to their Realms and imposed strict borders that allowed no humans in. As the humans involved in the Decimation died away, the Celestials formed the accords with other mystical beings to maintain the secrecy of their existence, and over the next 500 years, the humans began to forget that Celestials ever existed. Upon hearing the conclusion of this horrible side of human and Celestial history, Dyna expresses her deepest apology to Yoel for what has been done to the Celestials, but remains adamant that the half-breed Celestial children should have been spared, and that half-breeds have the same right to exist and to live as everyone else.
As the conversation turns back to Dyna’s mission to defeat the Shadow, she shares that she seeks the Sōl Medallion from its hiding place on Mount Ida, a mystical island that is impossible to find. Cassiel is immediately intrigued with these new details of Dyna’s quest, but King Yoel tries to convince her that the island is just a legend and nothing more.
Chapter 11: Cassiel
Cassiel is reeling as Dyna reveals that she has a map to Mount Ida, a mystery that has plagued him nearly his entire life. They all try to convince Dyna that her mission is too dangerous and would be in vain, but she is steadfast in her resolve to save the children of her village. King Yoel ultimately relents and agrees to give Dyna and Zev provisions for their quest as they plan to set out the next morning.
Cassiel returns to his rooms in frustration at all that his father has hidden from him about Mount Ida, only to be attacked by Malakel and Tzuriel. They torture him with the information that his father has repeatedly tried to find him a life mate, but no one will agree to form a Blood Bond because he is a half breed. Left to ponder his family’s disdain for his lineage and his lack of power in the Celestial court, Cassiel clings to a childhood memory of his mother telling him the story of Mount Ida and a Sacred Scroll with a path to unrivaled power.
Chapter 12: Cassiel
King Yoel finds Cassiel on his balcony, and discusses all of the events surrounding the arrival of their new guests. Cassiel experienced Soul Searching for the first time when Dyna held his injured hand, and he is still absolutely mesmerized by the beauty and energy of Dyna’s soul. King Yoel shares that he had a similar experience when he met Elia, Cassiel’s human mother, who was also from North Star. Cassiel insists that he saved Dyna out of pity and that he wants nothing to do with her, but King Yoel believes that Cassiel’s and Dyna’s souls are similarly matched. King Yoel also shares that, to Cassiel’s shock, he believes Cassiel is the best choice to be the successor to the crown. Still hurt by the way his father treated him after his mother’s death, Cassiel rejects the idea of being King and asks permission to leave Hilos and return to Hermon Ridge, which King Yoel grants.
Chapter 13: Zev
After a hasty departure from the castle, Zev and Dyna set out for Mount Ida with fresh supplies provided by the Celestials. Unsurprisingly, they find Cassiel has been following them and insists that they need him to join their quest. Dyna happily and Zev begrudgingly agree to allow Cassiel to accompany them. As they stop to make camp for the night, they realize they are surrounded by werewolves.
Chapter 14: Zev
Zev is overwhelmed by his instincts to protect Dyna at all costs, and tries to reason with Owyn, the pack alpha, to allow her and Cassiel to leave. Owyn accuses Zev of wrongfully killing his nephew Faolan, but Dyna speaks up on Zev’s behalf. Burdened by his past and the Madness he feels growing inside him, Zev agrees to accept the challenge that Kenlan, Faolan’s father, issues him. Zev kills Kenlan in the ensuing fight, thereby winning the challenge, but instead of issuing his pardon, the alpha and his pack attack Zev. Surrounded by danger, Zev loses himself to the Other inside him and kills the entire pack in a bloody battle. Zev chooses to leave Lykos Peak forever instead of becoming alpha.
Chapter 15: Dynalya
Having flown to safety away from the fight, Cassiel and Dyna anxiously wait to see the outcome of Zev’s challenge. Cassiel tries to convince Dyna to return to the safety of North Star, but she stubbornly refuses, despite the dangers ahead. Dyna sheepishly admits that she will need to return to the site of the battle after she dropped her journal in the glade, but before they decide what to do next, Zev finally arrives.
Chapter 16: Dynalya
Zev, heavily injured from his fight, returns with Dyna’s journal and their supplies. He refuses to allow Dyna to use her Essence to heal him and continues to fight down the Madness growing inside him, insisting that he is destined for a life alone so he cannot hurt those around him. Zev and Cassiel have formed a tense truce, bound together over their desire to keep Dyna safe. Together, they all begin to analyze the map inside the journal, which Cassiel is stunned to see Dyna open with a spell. Dyna explains that Azeran Astron did not die during the War of the Guilds, but instead escaped Magos and founded North Star. As the mages of North Star took humans for life mates, their magic began to dwindle with each generation, and Dyna’s family is one of the few remaining in North Star with any magic left. While still slightly skeptical, Cassiel accepts her explanation and finally begins helping plan their journey to Mount Ida.
Chapter 17: Cassiel
As they journey towards Landcaster, Zev remains in his wolf form, unable to face his actions during the challenge fight. Cassiel and Dyna are left with only each other for company, and they begin to get to know each other more. Dyna’s constant positive outlook is perplexing to Cassiel, but not unwelcome, and he finds himself liking her company more and more.
Chapter 18: Cassiel
Awoken during the night by Zev in his wolf form, Cassiel admits that he knows the truth of what Zev did to his pack and tells him to stay away from Dyna for her safety. The next morning, Cassiel mistakenly stabs Zev with a silver dagger in his human form when Zev startles him awake. Dyna is furious with both Zev and Cassiel for their aggression towards one another and demands they apologize. When Cassiel refuses to apologize or get rid of his silver dagger, Dyna decides they should part ways and begins to leave without him. Not wanting to be left behind so early in their journey, Cassiel gives up his dagger to Dyna, and together they continue on to Landcaster.
Chapter 19: Zev
Zev and Dyna acknowledge that Cassiel has been raised in difficult circumstances that have caused him to build a natural distrust of others, so they agree that they must put more effort into earning his trust. As a first step, Dyna insists that both Cassiel and Zev apologize to each other and leaves them to discuss their differences. While there are no apologies yet, Zev admits his actions are often driven by his desire to protect Dyna at all costs.
Chapter 20: Zev
Zev and Cassiel work together to use the map to help navigate their way forward, and Dyna continues to press forward in the journey, seemingly unaware of any potential dangers around her. They reach Landcaster, and entranced by the busy market in her first experience outside of North Star, Dyna wanders away from Zev. He uses his wolf sense to search the crowd for her and detects her scent on two strangers, an elf and a man.
Chapter 21: Von
After pointing Zev in the direction of Dyna, the human Von and the elf Elon continue on to their meeting with the young Raider mages, Geon and Dalton. Von’s master, Tarn, is collecting Sacred Scrolls to find the secret of the Unending, as well as the Maiden that would lead him to Mount Ida, where the Unending is located. The young mages claim there is a man inside the pub, waiting to sell Von a Sacred Scroll. Von scans the patrons of the pub, including a Green Elf of the Greenwood Kingdom sitting alone at a table, until his eyes land on the merchant. Von uses his truth spell to determine that the Sacred Scroll is, indeed, real, and pays the merchant by taking the scroll and ordering Elon to kill him.
As Von leaves the pub, Dyna walks in, catching the attention of all of the men inside. Dalton and Geon approach Dyna, attracted by her pretty looks, but their conversation quickly turns heated when Dalton grabs her arm and realizes she is a sorceress. Von orders everyone back to camp, but Dyna asks him to sit with her while she waits for Zev to return. As they talk, Von’s truth spell is still in effect, and Dyna is not able to stop herself from admitting that she is journeying towards Mount Ida. Von is both amazed and horrified to realize that Dyna must be the Maiden that Tarn is seeking.
Chapter 22: Von
Before Von can act, Cassiel and Zev arrive to find Dyna unharmed, and she admits that she suspects some type of magic forced her to tell Von about Mount Ida. Von leaves the pub, but listens to their conversation from a nearby alley, learning that they possess a map to Mount Ida and that Cassiel is a Prince. The conversation is interrupted when Rangers arrive, thanks to a trap set by the merchant, and Von flees to camp while Elon stays behind to fight the Rangers. Von informs Tarn that they have found the Maiden and two of her Guardians, and Tarn dispatches spies to follow them.
Chapter 23: Dynalya
Night has fallen, and Dyna and Cassiel wait outside the town for Zev’s return from a mysterious errand. Unsettled by the total darkness of the night, Dyna asks Cassiel for a small fire, so he draws his sword to reveal that it is wreathed in white flame, bringing both light and warmth to Dyna. He sheepishly admits that he named his sword Lahav Esh, or Fire Sword, when he earned his divine weapon at age 8. When Zev returns, they decide to travel through the night, with Zev in his wolf form and Cassiel flying while carrying Dyna. Dyna feels unexpected warmth towards Cassiel while flying together, noticing the pure joy he feels while flying and the breathtaking views they see together.
Chapter 24: Von
Back at the Raider camp, Von shares his new discovery of finding the Maiden with Tarn’s commanders: Captain Elon, commander of spies; Lieutenant Abenon, leader of the Raiders; and Benton, overseer of magic. Benton vehemently opposes Tarn and his mission to find the Unending, but is bound to serve Tarn against his will, as are his sons Clayton and Dalton.
While the Raiders break down camp to move to a new location, Von returns to his tent and his wife, Yavi. Yavi was first captured by Von so Tarn could use her to translate the Sacred Scrolls, but Von called in a life debt and claimed her as his own slave to protect her from Tarn’s vicious ways. Their marriage is considered forbidden by Tarn, so they have been forced to keep their romance a secret from everyone and publicly play the part of master and slave. He recites Tarn’s divination and the events that are beginning to unfold:
“Seek the Maiden with emeralds for sight and tresses of fire, for she holds the key to the Unending thou desires. Beware the Guardians who come to shield her from thee. She will be protected by one of divine blood and a dweller of the moon howling to break free. Thus follows a warrior bestowing his vow, and a sorceress grants her sorcery. A familiar face view for vengeance, and a creature with the strength of ten eradicates the forgery. Great peril in the venture thou art pursuing. Be not swayed by love, lest it be thy undoing.”
Chapter 25: Dynalya
After their night flying together, Cassiel is much more comfortable around Dyna and begins training her to defend herself. Zev and Cassiel find common ground when training Dyna, and for the first time find themselves truly working together. Dyna leaves the campground to pick blackberries while she contemplates the new friendship that is forming with Cassiel, but encounters a venomous snake preparing to attack her. At the last moment, she is saved by a mysterious stranger, who shoots the snake with an arrow. Zev and Cassiel find Dyna immediately, and the stranger introduces himself as Rawn of House Norrlen, General of the Armies of the Greenwood Kingdom.
Chapter 26: Dynalya
Rawn returns to camp with Cassiel, Zev and Dyna, and begins to share his story. After overhearing their conversation at the pub, Rawn had been tracking them for two days, and now seeks to join their quest so he can find the Dragon’s Fang, a sword that makes a matching pair with the Dragon’s Eye, to bring to his king as they prepare for war against the Red Elves. The twin swords are supposedly located on Mount Ida, which Rawn has been in search of for twenty years. While Dyna is eager to bring Rawn along, Zev and Cassiel are firmly against it and vote to send Rawn away.
Chapter 27: Cassiel
The night of the full moon has finally arrived, and as Dyna and Zev prepare for it, Zev confesses to Cassiel that he has two forms: the wolf and the Other. The Other takes over on full moons, and pushes Zev into such a blind rampage that he must be chained to a tree with silver chains to prevent him from hurting anyone around him. Shocked at his confession, Cassiel realizes he has severely misread Zev, and agrees to help Dyna with Zev’s chains. Before Dyna can finish securing the chains, they are ambushed by Tasnia, Owyn’s mate, and Zev begins to be overtaken by the Other. The Other kills Tasnia and attacks Dyna, only escaping death when Cassiel flies in to rescue her at the last moment. Dyna is severely injured, so Cassiel agrees to finish locking the chains in place in an effort to keep Dyna away from danger. Cassiel successfully subdues the Other and locks the chains, but Dyna succumbs to her injuries and begins to fade away quickly.
Cassiel flies her back to their camp and is forced to break Celestial law by giving her his blood in order to save her life. The moment he gives Dyna his blood, Cassiel feels an intense shot of power and heat, and he realizes he has unknowingly mixed their blood together. With the exchanging of their blood, Cassiel has Blood Bonded with Dyna.
Chapter 28: Cassiel
Grappling with a lifetime of believing anyone Blood Bonded with him will be cursed, Cassiel anxiously waits for Dyna to awake. Cassiel decides it’s best to hide the Blood Bond from everyone, especially Dyna, so she does not feel obligated to honor a lifelong marriage to him. When Dyna finally awakes, they do not speak of the Blood Bond, but Dyna shares a glimpse into Zev’s past with Cassiel.
His father, Belzev, married a wolf who rejected Zev when he was born because he was a half-breed. Zev was taken in by Dyna’s family and grew up in North Star, until the villagers realized he could shift into a wolf and shunned him from the community. Zev returned to Lykos Peak with his father, but on a full moon after his thirteenth birthday, the Other first appeared. His father worked with Zev to try to control the Other, but ultimately, the Other proved to be too powerful. After a full moon, Zev was horrified to awake to find his father dead, brutally killed by the Other, and blames himself for his loss of control. He was banished from Lykos for the murder of his father, and turned to one of his only remaining family members for help—Dyna. Zev allows her to chain him on every full moon, and she has loyally stood by his side ever since.
Cassiel, seeing the difficult parallels between his childhood and Zev’s, is frustrated by Dyna’s overly optimistic perspective on family and loyalty. He insists that he must rely on anger and hatred to bring him strength, but Dyna, stubborn as ever, insists that he can find strength elsewhere. She places her hand on his cheek, allowing him to Soul Search, and Cassiel finds nothing but beauty, peace, and maybe even the answers he has been searching for.
Chapter 29: Zev
Zev awakes in agony, finally himself again after the Other took over his consciousness. Dyna arrives with Cassiel to unchain him, and Zev instantly realizes that Dyna’s scent is different, as if her blood has mixed together with Cassiel’s. Dyna admits that Cassiel had to heal her with his blood after she was attacked by the Other and nearly died. Wracked with guilt, Zev refuses to allow Dyna to heal him, wanting to live with the physical pain as punishment to himself for what he has done. When he finally relents and allows Dyna to heal him, they both fall unconscious and are watched over by Cassiel while they recover. Zev awakes first and is surprised when Cassiel acknowledges their similar pasts and mistreatment as half-human beings and apologizes for not being more understanding when they first met. Later, Dyna finally awakes to find Zev and Cassiel are slowly beginning to form a friendship and that her interactions with Cassiel are starting to feel slightly different, although she is not sure why.
Chapter 30: Von
Back at the Raider camp, Tarn uses the Crystal Core to maintain protection for himself and control over all of his slaves. Located in Tarn’s tent, the Crystal Core uses its magic to bind his slaves within a certain distance of the camp and to punish any who attempt to harm Tarn. He never sleeps, using a Witch’s Brew to keep him awake and alert throughout every day and night, and is alerted to approaching presences by the Forewarning Crystal. After threatening to sell his slave, Yavi, for being too slow when translating Sacred Scrolls, he dismisses her and learns of the newest spy report from Elon and Novo. They have left Len behind to continue watching Dyna and her Guardians, who they’ve now learned are a Lycan and a Nephilim who has used his blood to heal Dyna. The presence of a Nephilim and possibly more Celestials is shocking to everyone, as humans have long believed that Celestials were all killed in the Decimation. Before they can continue determining their plans to capture Dyna, they realize they are under attack from the Azure Guard.
Chapter 31: Von
With their camp suddenly under attack, Elon uses an immensely powerful spell known as the Blue Scythe to cut down every Azure Guard in their vicinity. A second wave of Azure Guards attack, and the camp is quickly overrun. Von finds Yavi struggling with a Guard, who is insisting he is here to free her and the other slaves. Von remembers part of another prophecy — “Only whence she burns will she be free.” — and is terrified when the Guard falls backwards into the burning field behind him, taking Yavi with him. He manages to save Yavi from the flames, and they tearfully reunite with each other. They return to the fight to find that Tarn, with his immense and abnormal power, has subdued the Azure Guards sent to ambush him and killed all enemies who remained. After the battle, a company of 20 Raiders, led by Von, set off to finally capture Dyna.
Chapter 32: Dynalya
As they travel towards Corron, Dyna notices that she is constantly aware of where Cassiel is, and when they touch, her soul feels tethered to his. Cassiel is also more amicable, offering to chain Zev when needed for the rest of their trip, and explaining more about the magical Stardust that spells his coat. Dyna learns that Stardust is a spell made from the stars to create unlimited space on anything it touches, allowing Cassiel’s coat to conceal his wings when they are in human towns. They arrive at Corron to find Azure Guards posting flyers of a wanted man, Tarn Morken, for an enormous reward of 10,000 gold pieces. Cassiel is oddly protective as they weave through the crowded market and insists on buying Dyna new clothes to replace her ruined travel clothing, starting with a new dress.
Chapter 33: Dynalya
After leaving the dress shop, Cassiel departs on another errand, and Dyna and Zev continue through the market. They encounter an old witch offering to read fortunes, but when Dyna complies and the witch takes her hand, they both immediately realize what the other is—a sorceress.
The strange sorceress casts a spell on Dyna and uses her purple Essence to stop time around herself and Dyna. The sorceress, revealed to be young and immensely beautiful, is wearing a medallion that Dyna has seen in Azeran’s journal, marking her as a member of the Lunar Guild. She makes Dyna promise to tell no one who or where she is, and then mysteriously disappears from the market.
Chapter 34: Lucenna
Lucenna is on the run, with the help of her brother Lucien, from Enforcers who seek to capture her and return her to her father in the Magos Empire. She is able to communicate with Lucien through a magical orb, and she knows he is frantic now that her spell is sure to have caught the attention of any Enforcers in the area. Lucenna reveals to Lucien that she has met another sorceress, but has protected herself by severing the tracking spell that an unknown mage was using to find the strange girl. She prepares to leave Corron by ferry, still wearing the Luna Medallion, but encounters Von and his men while she attempts to flee. Von recognizes the medallion, and knocks Lucenna unconscious so he can take the medallion, and then continues on his mission to kidnap Dyna.
Chapter 35: Cassiel
Cassiel has been trying to ignore his bond to Dyna, but the more he tries to ignore it, the more aware he becomes of all of her endearing little quirks. He reunites with Dyna and Zev after finishing his errand to buy Dyna new shoes and a cloak better suited for traveling, and he can sense her happiness at the gifts through their quickly strengthening Blood Bond. Dyna is also able to sense his emotions more easily, quickly coming to his aid when she realizes his rage at several men who leer over Dyna’s appearance. They leave the inn after Cassiel starts a fight with the men, and travel on to the only remaining inn with vacancies to find there’s only one bed available. Cassiel and Zev heartily drink many rounds of mead over dinner at the inn, and when they are both very drunk, Dyna ends up dragging them up to their shared room.
Chapter 36: Dynalya
Zev immediately falls asleep, but Dyna has to help an inebriated Cassiel as he insists on undressing for bed. Emboldened by the mead, Cassiel pulls Dyna under his wings and swears that she has nothing to fear while she is with him. He shares that since he has never taken a human life, he has the divine power to slay the demon terrorizing North Star, and feels this gift may be one reason to give him purpose and make a difference in the world.
Chapter 37: Lucenna
Lucenna awakes to find that she has been left in the home of the ferryman, and that Von has stolen her Luna Medallion. Bent on revenge, she pays the ferryman for his boat and sets a tracking spell to lead her to her medallion and the men who stole it from her.
Chapter 38: Dynalya
When Dyna wakes the next morning, she is confused why she can now clearly feel Cassiel’s emotions, and why he has awoken to vehemently push her away. Zev leaves to buy supplies for their journey, leaving an awkward Cassiel and embarrassed Dyna to wander the market and try to discuss the events of the previous night. Unwilling to admit to her mortification at his rejection this morning, Dyna leaves Cassiel to make a purchase from a weapons dealer, and surprisingly runs into Commander Von. She declines Von’s offer to be her Guidelander and attempts to go back to Cassiel and Zev, only to be forcibly taken by Von.
Chapter 39: Cassiel
While finishing his purchase of twin opal knives for Dyna, Cassiel feels Dyna’s immediate panic through the bond and begins to frantically search for her, finding her nowhere in sight. Lucenna appears and offers to help him by casting a tracking spell for a fee, and with no other options, Cassiel trades one of his Celestial feathers for the spell. When Cassiel follows the tracking spell, he finds Dyna struggling against Von, but his way is blocked by the Raiders. He is caught in the impossible realization that in order to save Dyna, he will have to kill these men, therefore taking away his divine power to kill the Shadow plaguing North Star. When the men make it clear they intend to capture Cassiel and drain him of his divine blood, he has no choice but to fight them. Cassiel fights valiantly and kills many of the men, but is ultimately captured and seems to have lost all hope of saving Dyna. As the men debate whether to kill Cassiel for revenge for their fallen friends or save him to sell his blood, Rawn and Zev both appear and help free Cassiel. Desperate to find Dyna, Cassiel finally embraces the Blood Bond, allowing him to clearly see where she has been taken and to fully feel the rightness of his connection with her.
Chapter 40: Von
Von and Geon carry a defiant Dyna away, who continues to fight with everything she has to escape. Geon tells Dyna that they were always destined to find her and bring her to their master, based on the foretelling from the Seer from Faery Hill many years ago, and that Dyna has always been destined to seek out Mount Ida, with the help of her six Guardians.
Still on the hunt to recover her Luna Medallion, Lucenna finds Von and Geon before they are able to steal Dyna away onto their ferry. Von is no match for Lucenna’s magic, charged with electricity and lightning, and she quickly subdues him, saving Dyna at the same time.
Chapter 41: Dynalya
As a final stand, Geon attempts to save an unconscious Von and fight against Lucenna. Driven by rage for everything that men have taken from her for her entire life, she easily defeats Geon by breaking his bones. When she contemplates killing Von, Dyna pleads with her to be merciful, despite the fact that they had kidnapped her, and ultimately Lucenna decides that, for now, it is enough to take back her Luna Medallion, which Dyna notices is missing the Moonstone at its center.
Finally, a desperate Cassiel arrives to be joyfully reunited with Dyna, with Zev and Rawn close behind him. Cassiel turns on Lucenna, outraged that she tricked him with her tracking spell so he would distract Von’s men, making it easier for Lucenna to go after her medallion. Lucenna is shocked to learn that Dyna not only knows what her medallion is, but also where to locate the missing Moonstone. True to her kind heart, Dyna requests they spare Geon and heals the worst of his injuries, so in return he warns the group to leave quickly, before Elon arrives.
Chapter 42: Zev
With her ankle still injured from her earlier struggle, Cassiel carries Dyna away from the hill, with Zev and Rawn easily falling into the role of guards around them. Zev is still wary of their new companion and is fighting down his wolf instinct to protect Dyna at all costs, so Rawn swears an oath of protection, considered an elven binding promise, to him and Dyna. Satisfied with Rawn’s honest intentions, they cross the loch to reach the Kazer Bluffs, only to be confronted by Elon, Len and their men while they are on the open waters. Len shoots two arrows at Rawn but misses. Rawn strikes Len with a single arrow shot to the chest, and is able to parry Elon’s devastating Blue Scythe with his own enchanted blade, stunning Zev and Cassiel with his power and skill. Their attackers give up and let them escape, but Elon promises that he will meet Rawn again in battle.
Chapter 43: Von
Tarn is furious that his men have failed to capture Dyna, and he whips both Geon and Von as punishment. Von begs to take Geon’s punishment, but is denied. Tarn mercilessly carries out the whipping as Von is left to remember each of the men he lost on the mission. After the punishment, Yavi tends to them both, and she and Von are forced to pretend that they are master and servant. Von begins to realize how truly powerful the Guardians are as Raiders begin to recount their battles with them, and that Len has survived Rawn’s arrow thanks to her enchanted armor. As Von struggles under the weight of his servitude and how it has cursed Yavi alongside him, he remembers the full divination:
“Only whence she burns will she be free. Her screams will carry in the darkness and in ice to haunt thee. They’ll cut through thy ears as the scars on thy back. Breaking and mending that which thee lacks.”
Von reaches for Yavi, overcome by his love for her and urgency to keep her safe, at the same moment that Geon awakes and discovers them. Geon promises to keep their romantic relationship a secret, and recounts his tale of what happened after Von was knocked unconscious, including Dyna’s healing powers. Von is summoned back to Tarn’s tent to find him livid that more Guardians have gathered to Dyna, and that the Moonstone is missing from the Luna Medallion.
Chapter 44: Dynalya
Rawn continues to reveal his talents as he mixes a healing concoction, and together the four of them reflect on the many new people they have encountered. Dyna is dismayed at the idea of Tarn enslaving people against their will, and Rawn is troubled by the violence that Tarn is known for as he searches for Mount Ida. Recalling the foretold divination, Dyna shares that Zev and Cassiel are her Guardians. She realizes that Rawn, too, must be a Guardian, and asks him to join them, which he is honored to accept.
Epilogue: Cassiel
Cassiel is deeply troubled by the black mark on his soul, a foul stain left behind by the lives he took in Corron. He apologizes to Dyna that he can no longer fulfill his promise to slay the Shadow, but she will not accept his apology because she believes the Shadow is her quest to take on alone. Dyna insists that she truly cares for Cassiel, and sees him as worthy and not just a half-breed. When she touches him, Cassiel sees her soul has changed to include a golden lifeline to his own soul. As they both give in to their growing feelings for each other, he dares to lean toward her lips, but then Dyna assures him that no matter his secrets, she will always stand beside him. Cassiel believes her, and lets go of all of his doubts and fears as he shares the biggest secret of all, finally telling her: they are Blood Bonded.