Dark Sky - La série

No one believes she deserves to be a rider. Except for him. But he may be her greatest threat of all. Zaydah has dreamed her whole life of becoming a rider of the creatures in the sky. In a kingdom always at war, there’s no greater honor than joining their ranks. She and her best friend, Brev, have trained every day for the last ten years to earn their place and follow in their fathers’ footsteps. In the Black Mountains, where the military sprawls over its hilltop base, not everyone remembers their fathers as heroes. The king has forbidden their last names to be spoken aloud. Enemies won’t forget the wrongs of decades past. Zaydah and Brev vow to watch each other’s backs and do whatever they can to succeed. They’ve always been an unstoppable team, and neither of them can trust anyone. But secrets thrive in the Black Mountains. Nothing can prepare Zaydah for what she’ll uncover, and everything could tear her and Brev apart, most of all, the prince and his unusual interest in Zaydah.

After months in exile, Zaydah is back in Vulcanis. Though, as far as punishments go, uninterrupted time travelling with her best friends wasn’t so hard to bear. But returning to Vulcanis carries its own problems. Her association with Brev will easily brand her as a traitor. Her closeness with him is well known, as is his betrayal. She’ll need to earn back her captain’s trust, but even more important will be the prince’s. Zaydah has no desire to be near Prince Aris, but she can’t deny the continual draw of him. The pull to become his Shield is strong but impossible, all at the same time. The tie between them would become irrevocable. She’ll do anything to maintain her freedom and not be bound to him for life. So why does it bother her that he’s as against the bond as she is? Far more dangerous and threatening are the messages that arrive from Brev. She’s supposed to be on a straight and narrow path, never toeing the line of deceiving her captain, but she’s in a better position than anyone to discover what Brev is doing with the Tiberians. Fate can’t be denied, but if Zaydah keeps too many secrets, she could lose everything.

Zaydah’s fate is bound to Prince Aris’s. Much is undecided between them. When Zaydah disappears in the night without a trace, Prince Aris can feel her fear before things go dark between them. He knows she was taken, but not by whom. When Zaydah awakens, alone in the dark and underground, she has no idea either. But her captor soon reveals himself and an intricate web of plans that he lays before her. She’ll have to decide what she’s ready to give of herself and her future. Even more is expected of her than she’s dreamed. Being the Shield won’t be enough to keep the darkness at bay. It’s coming for her. And it’s coming for her prince.

Zaydah and Aris have little time to come to terms with their newfound power before they’re thrust into the center of court politics. Aris’s father is now king, and he’ll enjoy any excuse to break them apart and use whatever means necessary. Nothing will continue like normal as new lines of power are drawn—nothing, except for the Choosing. But among this year’s batch of candidates is a sponsorless young woman, Ilyia. She’s the first since Zaydah. From the streets of Orinth, Ilyia is ruthless and much better with a knife than a sword. She’s a surprise that neither the Aeros nor the court saw coming. Ilyia may have the ability to impact the war brewing around them. For war is coming. Brev’s power is growing, and so is the darkness. The fire that comes from the darkness is finally here. If Zaydah is going to find a way to stop the Ring of Darkness, she had better work quickly and use whatever aid she finds, no matter how unlikely. She’ll have to work against her king, even against the wishes of her prince.

Zaydah and Ilyia will bide their time. Sometimes destroying a man from the inside out is the best way to conquer a kingdom. In the belly of her enemy, Zaydah could try to escape, but the longer she’s trapped underground, the more she begins to unravel their secrets. They believe that she’ll never escape, that she’ll learn their ways and one day be as brainwashed as the rest of them. But Zaydah finds aid in unexpected places, from others who earn her loyalty. Ilyia is only one of those, but one of the most vital. She’ll use a man to gain access to the secret underground lair of the enemy. Ilyia enjoys the game more than most, and she plays it better, too. The final battle is unfolding, and the king is willing to destroy his kingdom to conquer his son. But that son and his queen will give everything for their people. It’s time for the Shield Queen to reign.