Characters
The three main players of book two were Juniper, Ison, and Reid.
Juniper, a notorious thief, retained her sneaky ways as she once again found herself on the run from the royal guard. Her journey mainly revolved around her emotional conflict regarding Reid: how she lost his affections after he discovered she had magic. There was an increased sense of vulnerability in this second instalment, which made me feel more deeply for her character’s plight. Her journey also revolved around her learning to control the unusual magic that lay within her.
Ison, Bradburn Castle’s mage apprentice, was similarly as timid as he was in book one, however, he has since changed into a simultaneously more troubled and more daring individual. He seemed more willing to take risks, even when he felt uncomfortable about the potential outcomes. As much as I liked some aspects of his character, I also found myself conflicted at times, due to some of his particular actions.
Reid, a squire in training, possessed his same stubborn and loyal to a fault persona. However, book two also showed him in a new light. Here, I saw his deeper emotional conflicts, between his feelings for the girl he loves and a traumatic past which forever shaped his view of mages in general, and his wider duty as a squire.