I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.

After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child at the hands of Adarlanian soldiers, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need, and she will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries his own dark past, and Yrene soon realizes that those shadows could engulf them both.

Chaol, Nesryn, and Yrene will have to draw on every scrap of their resilience to overcome the danger that surrounds them. But while they become entangled in the political webs of the khaganate, long-awaited answers slumber deep in the mountains, where warriors soar on legendary ruks. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival . . . or doom them all.

Short and Sweet Review

Chaol and Nesryn are in Antica to try to forge an alliance with the Khagan, whose large armies could be the turning point in the war that is on the horizon. Chaol has also come seeking the Torre Cesme to see if some of the wounds he received in Rifthold can be healed. Yrene Towers is the healer who has been chosen to heal Chaol but after all of the horrors she witnessed as a child from Adarlans Soldiers, she’s not sure she can even be around Chaol let alone heal him. Even though our characters are in a different continent there’s still danger that surrounds them.

If you were wondering where Chaol was in Empire of Storms he was here in Antica trying to get the Khagan to form an alliance to help with the war in Erilea. Everything about this book was perfection. I loved seeing new characters involved and seeing Chaol try to negotiate on Aelin behalf. Chaol and Yrene have a relationship that is rocky at the beginning but the more time they spend together seeing each others demons, the more their relationship began to bud. These two were perfect for each other and it made my heart just happy to see them realize that they belong. Nesryn on the other hand forms a bond with Prince Sartaq and ends up going with him and his ruk to the mountains, where they learn some interesting things. There’s a lot of good things happening in this book that will keep your interest. I didn’t think I would enjoy seeing what Nesryn was doing but her and Sartaq ended up learning some interesting things that changed everything. I also liked their relationship, because I didn’t think she belonged with Chaol.

This book was full of action that we’ve come to expect from this series and it explains Chaol’s absence from the last book. I’m so excited to see what the next book brings because so many things were revealed here!