Preface

As the last book was published almost a year ago, here's a short recap of important events.

(skip if not needed!)

After leaving the Nightworld Academy, the main characters moved to and now live on the old Winterfall witch estate. They're under continued threat from Gabriella, the Dominion, and, recently, a supernatural entity named the First. They also believe the Confederacy is a danger to the group.

Gabriella freed the First from beneath the academy. She took a small amount of the creature's blood, consumed some, and increased her power. Gabriella then combined the remaining stolen blood of the First's with her own, and now uses this to heighten her followers' abilities. In an earlier book, Gabriella captured Andrei and forced this new blood into him, which tied him closer to her and also intensified some of his power.

Later, the group confronted Gabriella's daughter, Ione, who brought the First with her to help kill them. The creature was contained in the body of a small girl. After Ione failed to kill anybody and died herself, the First never harmed the group and returned to the Winterfall estate with them.

The First is now an older version of that girl and partially resembles Maeve. She claims to be the energy that created vampires and is manipulating and threatening everybody around her. Nobody knows what is the truth and what are lies.

The creature insisted the group kill Gabriella and take back the blood she stole, and claims she's currently too weak to do so herself. The First also informed the group that now Andrei contains the blood Gabriella gave him, the two are linked. If Gabriella dies, then he will.

The First offered Andrei the option to take her pure blood, which will break the link with Gabriella. But nobody knows the First's motivations, what the risks would be, or if he'd survive. Instead, the group continue to look for a way to break Andrei's connection to Gabriella and also a way to trap the First again to end both threats to their lives.

Maeve continued to manifest Blackwood magic and visited her father, Lex, for help to control that side of herself. She's also struggling to connect with her Winterfall future sight.

Ash received help from Ethan against the dragons who're threatening him, which ended in a violent confrontation between the pair and the dragon alpha, Declan.

Dorian continued to interfere, claiming he's helping. He's intent on ending Gabriella and succeeded in killing her temporarily, which proved the link as Andrei died too. Neither death was permanent, as Dorian allowed Gabriella to escape for Andrei to live.

Gabriella is now on the run knowing next time she's found by either the First, Dorian, or the group, she'll die permanently.

Jamie's research showed that the spells the Blackwoods and Winterfalls used to trap the First beneath the academy are the only way to defeat the creature. But by the end of the last book, the First had destroyed the families' grimoires. Now the group is looking for other options.

In an emotional confrontation, Andrei confided in Maeve that he would take the First's blood not only because it might save his life but also because he would be able to daywalk. However, Andrei promised to wait until they'd explored other options before finally accepting the First's blood.

While Maeve is with Jamie at her father's home looking for answers to help Andrei, the First tricks Andrei into taking her blood. The book ends when Tobias finds Andrei collapsed in his room surrounded by blood, and he worries Andrei could be dying.