Jaclyn Rodriguez’s debut novel, A Vow in Vengeance (2026), is an adult romantasy and the first installment in the planned Immortal Desires series. The story follows Rune Ryker, a young mortal who deliberately engineers her own selection in the annual Selection ritual, an event in which mortals are taken to the Immortal Realms. Having lost her family to this state-sanctioned practice, Rune intends to infiltrate the immortal realm, locate her missing relatives, and seek revenge on the rulers responsible for their disappearance. Once inside, Rune is forced to attend the Forge, a druid academy where changelings are trained in magic. There, she discovers she possesses a rare Arcana power tied to the realm’s tarot-based magic system, bringing her into contact with Prince Draven Vos, one of the few others who shares this rare magic. Their uneasy alliance draws them into the realm’s political conflicts. The novel explores themes of The Illusion of Choice Under Authoritarian Rule, The Transformative Nature of Vengeance, and Intimacy as a Tool for Survival and Power.

A Vow in Vengeance reflects elements of Rodriguez’s Puerto Rican cultural background, which inform aspects of the novel’s depiction of power, hierarchy, and identity within the Immortal realm. The novel belongs to the expanding romantasy subgenre, which combines epic fantasy settings, structured magic systems, and character-driven romantic relationships. The novel’s use of tarot cards as a basis for its magic system connects the characters’ powers and destinies to established archetypal journeys. The novel was published by Slowburn, an imprint of Zando that specializes in romance and romantasy titles.

This guide is based on the 2026 Zando first US e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of death, sexual violence and harassment, graphic violence, sexual content, and enslavement.

Plot Summary

Six years ago, 14-year-old Rune Ryker and her mother hide in a cabin to avoid the annual Immortal Selection. Having already lost her father and twin brother, Remus, to previous Selections, Rune’s mother hides her in a crawl space before surrendering to the arriving druids. The druids take her mother and burn the cabin, but Rune escapes. Determined to rescue her family, Rune resolves not to fear the immortals.

Now 20, Rune is a fugitive known as the Wraith of Westfall, wanted for attacking her former master. She travels to the mortal capital hoping to be chosen during the Selection, seeing it as the only way to cross the Immortal Wall. There, she meets Kasper, a young man who also appears eager to be selected. The druid royal family, King Silas, Queen Vesta, and their sons, Prince Draven and Prince Ansel, arrive to conduct the reaping. When it seems she will be overlooked, Rune draws Ansel’s attention, which amuses Draven, who allows his brother to choose her as the final Selected. The selected mortals are forced to climb a magical staircase inside the Wall. At the top, King Silas offers the adults a choice: swear an Oath of loyalty to the druid kingdom of Sedah or jump to their deaths. After one woman jumps, the rest drink a magical liquid and recite the Oath, which painfully transforms them into changelings with immortal features. King Silas explains they can become full immortals by completing the Descent. He introduces tarot cards, which channel magical gifts called Major Arcana. When Rune draws her card, it is The World, a rare Arcana associated with exceptional power. The changelings are then transported to the Forge, a military academy overseen by Commander Soto.

At the Forge, all personal belongings are confiscated, including a small figurine of Rune’s brother. A guard tries to take her father’s necklace, but Draven intervenes, removing his mask and magically compelling her to surrender it. Rune is shocked to discover Draven is her roommate in the World’s Hearth, the residence for their shared Arcana. Furious, she attacks him, but he easily wins their magical fight. He returns her necklace, explaining that The World Arcana grants access to multiple magical abilities. He also reveals that her mother, as a Selection deserter, was likely sold to the elves. In her first classes, Rune is bullied by a druid-born student named Mira, who mentions a mysterious curse affecting the immortals. Later, a delegation of seraphs arrives, led by Draven’s betrothed, Princess Reva. Rune is stunned to see her father, Riordan Ryker, among them, now a seraph captain. Draven offers to trade Rune to the seraph kingdom of Nevaeh in exchange for ending his unwanted betrothal. After the seraphs leave, Mira kills a changeling in sparring. Another student, Ward, leads a group to attack Draven, but Rune saves him. Afterward, Draven reveals the Curse: a plague enacted by mortals during the Great War that rendered all immortals infertile, making the Selection the only way for them to continue their bloodlines. He also confesses he was once a Selected mortal, adopted by King Silas.

Draven invites Rune to the Autumn Equinox Ball. There, the seraph king, Altair, uses a magical halo to interrogate Rune. It reveals a vision of her holding a mended crown of all four kingdoms, which he interprets as a prophecy that she may threaten the four kingdoms. When he tries to execute her, Draven saves her by publicly declaring her his fated mate. Back at the Hearth, Draven proposes a deal: a political marriage to consolidate power, which will allow them to find four legendary Arcadian Artifacts, end the Selection, and free her family. Rune agrees, and they seal their partnership with an Immortal Pact, a magical vow that prevents either of them from lying to the other. Soon after, they travel to the elven kingdom of Alfheim to search secretly for Rune’s family and the artifacts.

In Alfheim, they meet King Eldarion, who insults Draven and reveals he sold a lava-blessed woman, Rune’s mother, to another lord. During a ball, Draven’s team confirms her mother is at a nearby estate. Draven and Rune sneak out and find her. Rune’s mother reveals she was the alchemist who created the Curse and that Draven is the demigod son of the rebel leader Kieran Ceres. The next day, at the zenith site, Rune finds one of the artifacts, the Darkstone wand, and awakens a sixty-foot drake guarding it. The drake attacks, and Rune summons the Star Arcana, forging a sword and shield of light. Together, she and Draven kill the beast. Back at the Forge, Draven retrieves another artifact, the Oathbreaker grail, from the tomb of his biological father.

Draven returns on Rune’s soul-day. He gives her the Oathbreaker and confirms her mother is now safe at the Sedah palace. He confesses his love and proposes. She accepts, but they are ambushed by Kasper, who is revealed to be King Altair’s illegitimate son. Kasper stabs Draven and later cuts his throat during the confrontation. As Rune’s friends arrive, Kasper kills one of them, Felix, before escaping. Rune uses the Empress Arcana to heal Draven’s fatal wound. The group pursues Kasper to the palace, where King Altair and the seraph army are waiting. A battle ensues. Rune’s father tries to help her but is killed by Altair. Rune then stabs Altair in the eye with the Darkstone. The druid army arrives, and the seraphs retreat, taking the wand with them.

A day later, at her father’s funeral, Rune learns the seraphs have abducted her mother from the palace, making war inevitable. Draven offers Rune the Oathbreaker, giving her the choice to break her bonds and leave. She chooses to stay, accepting his proposal. They affirm their shared plan to claim the thrones and defeat their enemies. They both drink from the grail, breaking their forced loyalty to King Silas and sealing a new alliance with each other.