Fate of Echoes and Embers

Marek is willing to risk all to recover the Wind Crystal which they assume is in the Maelstrom Depths. To make sure their assumption is correct there is only one person in Elydor, who is needed on this quest as she can feel the presence of great magic. The only issue is he once left Lady Isolde hence she will not be happy to ever see him again. Lady Isolde is responsible for Hawthorne Manor and its people after her parents passed away so fast. It nearly broke her heart when one day the dashing Thalassarian captain she was falling for left without a word. As more is at stake here than personal feelings, as we talk about re opening the gates to the human world, both are willing to work with each other for the greater good. So both assume finding the missing Wind Crystal might be the biggest challenge but there is so much more both needs to tackle. Are the feeling for each other really buried? What about the sign for war lurking everywhere and can they trust really everybody around them? You should read the orders in the right sequence to understand the context. In each book we learn more about this realm, its history, the magical skills and more about the main characters which re appear in this series. As this is a quest over several books I assume it will be hard to understand everything otherwise. This book starts right where the other ended. Here we concentrate on Marek and learn more about him, Lady Isolde and how they once met. I really like the world created here and that with Marek we have the not noble ones in the focus of a story here. I really like that we have smuggler, hidden markets, ... and the sailing in here. I really enjoyed the learn more about Marek´s world in which secrets and information are exchanged. Marek once left Isolde but still has feelings for her. To read here why he left her, to learn more about his background and how he struggles with his fear is for me well written. Also with Isolde as human who wants to keep the dream of her parents, Hawthorne Manor and what it stands for, alive and so is giving up her dream to see more of the world and to explore it is well described. Marek hurt her so much in the past and she is not willing to be hurt all over again. Both together, how each of them struggle with their feelings, their fears is well worked out and I really liked to read their story, their banter and how they set out to this very dangerous journey. The romance between both of them is good written. As if this would not be enough we also have politics, fighting for a greater good, friendship, loyalty and getting closer in the hope to re-open the gate. So for me we get in this series all fantasy needs to be interesting to read. A really interesting and well worked out world, different magical skills, romance, friendship, adventure, a quest and interesting and well worked out characters.