Death's Disciple

Seven years ago, Captain Yala Palathar was a hero. She and her squad of close-knit dragon-riding warriors were Laria's elite, fighting for their nation alongside the monarch and his magic-wielding Disciples. Seizing control of an unmanned island should have been a simple mission, but Yala's squad was little prepared for the horror and tragedy that awaited. Instead of triumph, all they found was death. Years on, Yala lives in seclusion in the deep jungle, ignoring rumours of unrest in the capital following the end of the war. She little expects assassins to find her hideout — nor does she anticipate that the mission that ended her career has given rise to rumours making her a target for mercenaries. With the other survivors from her squad being picked off one by one, she has little choice but to return to the capital in search of answers. Whether the truth lies with the Disciples of the Flame or with the long-dead king who sent her squad to their doom, one thing is clear: Yala must finish the battle she started all those years ago, even if it brings her face to face with the god of death Himself.

Several weeks have passed since the capital of Laria narrowly escaped destruction at the hands of the god of death and His followers. Former Captain Yala Palathar is attempting to lie low, but the dead no longer rest easily in their graves, and her role in the battle has drawn attention from potential allies and foes alike. Niema, too, has been profoundly changed by the choices she made during the battle of Dalathar. Journeying home to the Disciples of Life reveals the devastating consequences of her actions, and she grapples with her desire to protect Yala's secrets — especially when monsters start appearing in the forest. When the Disciples of the Flame report that a dangerous book used by the god of death's followers has gone missing, Yala is compelled to seek it out. Her quest takes her to Setemar, where her path crosses with Kelan and the Disciples of the Sky — and the closer she treads to the domain of the god of death, the louder His voice whispers in her ear.

Former captain Yala Palathar and her allies prevented the god of death from claiming another city, but at a cost. Now war threatens between Laria and their rival nation of Rafragoria after half a decade of peace, and tensions in the capital are at an all-time high. To complicate matters, bodies are washing up on Laria's shores, corrupted by Mekan's insidious magic. Yala is certain that someone is trying to push their nation into a fight that will achieve nothing but a fresh wave of souls to feed the god of death — but the Disciples of the Flame are determined to burn away the evidence. As Dalathar comes ever closer to boiling over in chaos, Yala must choose whether to reveal the secrets that will either save everyone from an avoidable war, or shatter the fragile peace holding Laria together.

Former captain Yala Palathar is once again in exile, while a tyrant sits upon the throne of Laria. The armies of the dead stalk the lands, and across the country, the orders of Disciples are falling one by one. Amid the chaos, Yala is offered an opportunity to return to the battlefield at the highest rank. Accepting might be her only chance to get close to her enemy — but at the cost of being drawn deeper into the god of death's domain. Niema, too, faces a raging battle in her heart, between the promises she swore to the god of life and the knowledge that the god of death has marked her as well. As the gods of life and death prepare to wage all-out war, Yala and Niema face choices that will shape the future of the nation and the world — or watch everything they hold dear fall into the ruinous void.