As war brews between the kingdoms of Bogudos and Lanasall, four teenagers discover the power to change their land’s fates in this sharp fantasy. Headstrong, brown-skinned Erevan, an orphaned half-elf raised in the impoverished streets of Bogudos, is training to be a mercenary like his adoptive father Sir Lee when he develops an intense bond with a mysterious young woman who seeks the protection of Erevan and his father. Meanwhile, timid human witch-in-training Aireyal, who reads as white, struggles to hide her inability to harness her magic from her instructors at Darr-Kamo, a Lanasall magic academy. Alternating chapters follow Erevan and Aireyal’s simultaneously occurring adventures, building suspense when their stories eventually collide. Avery’s impressive worldbuilding renders a fully fleshed setting whose history, mythology, and social politics feel naturally woven into the narrative. Via distinctly characterized protagonists, Avery unspools a languorously paced adventure that tackles personal themes of acceptance and self-image amid larger fantastical conflict. Ages 13–17. (Self-published)