book 3, By Darkness Won, by Jill Williamson

Vrell leaves, again, determined to serve Prince Oren in Southern Er’Rets. She leaves with Gren Hoff, Achan’s childhood sweetheart. But when Vrell is caught in Sitna, she regrets her decision. When she is stormed, a form of fighting using bloodvoicing to separate the person’s soul from their body, by her old master, she forgets all of what has happened in the last year.

Achan is assaulted by questions he cannot answer—can Esek still be alive? Who is this mysterious Hadad? And who is the real enemy, Hadad or Esek and Lord Nathak? To add to his worries, he is betrothed to Lady Averilla, Duchess Amal’s daughter, and he learns that Sparrow has been stormed and he believes he is the only one that reunite her with her body. All the while he has to fight the war that will either bring back light to all Er’Rets, or put all Er’Rets into darkness.

A great ending to a series that keeps you up all night reading. It is the perfect ending to a perfect series.

book 2, By Darkness Fled, by Jill Williamson

Achan, Vrell, and the knights flee into Darkness. Many enemies pursue them. They travel from Mahanaim to Mirrostone. Then a detour to Barth, and off to Melas. Each city brings new challenges that both Achan and Vrell must endure.

Achan struggles to fit into his new roll. He tries to understand his gift, but he doesn’t understand why Arman, the only true God, has chosen him.

Vrell tries to keep her secret, being a girl, but it is becoming hard to. She decides to stay with the men until they arrive in Carmine. She realized that her betrothed, Bran Rennan, is no longer interested in her. With conflicting emotions, she struggles in her roll as Achan’s squire.

Book two sets the stage for book three. A great transfer book through all three books.

book 1, By Darkness Hid, by Jill Williamson

Achan has the lowest position in Er’Rets, a stray. All he has ever done is milk goats and chop potatoes. Sir Gavin, an old Kingsguard knight offers to secretly train him as his squire. But during the Prince Gidon’s coming of age celebration, Achan finds that he has an unusual gift, bloodvoicing, an ability to talk to people from clear across the kingdom using their mind. The Prince takes Achan as his squire on the road to Mahanaim where trouble follows Achan all the way.

Vrell Sparrow has been running from Prince Gidon who wants control of Carm. She has found that she can bloodvoice. A greedy old man in Mahanaim has sensed her and has sent two New Kingsguard knights too fetch her. She encounters unpleasant adventures throughout the journey, and some take place in caves. Soon after she arrives, she is sent to help a solider who her master wishes to train in bloodvoiceing.

Their worlds collide when Vrell brings Achan to the Mahanaim dungeons where she tends his wounds. When Sir Gavin rescues Achan, everything is turned around in Achan’s world.

A great introduction to a great series. It introduces the characters so that you become attached to them. Politics and action, secrets and discovery, this is a great book.