The Ever Queen

The second book in the Ever Seas fantasy series picks up after The Ever King. The story is set in a world divided between the Ever Kingdom, a maritime realm of sea fae ruled by the blood crown, and the earth fae realms. A violent underwater barrier called the Chasm separates the two worlds. In the previous book, Erik Bloodsinger, the scarred young Ever King, kidnapped Livia Ferus, daughter of the earth fae Night Folk king Valen Ferus, the man who killed Erik's father Thorvald. Erik and Livia fell in love and formed a heartbond, a magical tether linking their souls. Before they could unite their peoples, Larsson Bonekeeper, Erik's trusted companion, revealed himself as Erik's secret half brother and abducted Livia to a hidden isle. The novel alternates between Erik's and Livia's perspectives as they fight to reunite and defeat Larsson's conspiracy.

A prologue flashes back to the end of the Great War, when a young Erik knelt on the earth fae shore. Valen offered the boy a chance to stay, but Erik chose hatred over peace and was banished beneath the tides, clutching a silver swallow charm Livia had given him and vowing to return.

The main narrative opens with Erik captured by earth fae after sailing through the Chasm to seek help. Prince Jonas, an earth fae royal who wields nightmare magic, ambushes Erik and his cousin Tait Heartwalker. Erik is dragged before Valen, who demands his daughter's return. Livia's cousin Aleksi intervenes, confirming that Erik saved his life and that a traitor within the Ever Kingdom took Livia, but the earth fae imprison Erik while they deliberate.

On the fading isle of Natthaven, Livia wakes in captivity and meets Skadinia (Skadi), princess of the Dokkalfar, a clan of shadow elven. Skadi's affinity, or innate magical ability, allows her to absorb physical matter through darkness. She reveals that blood spells cast by the sea witch Fione bind Livia to the isle, that Larsson cannot be killed while Fione's spells shield him, and that Fione can only be slain by a white iron blade, an elven weapon that rots the heart. Skadi herself is a prisoner: Prince Arion of the Ljosalfar (light elven), Larsson's cousin, tricked Skadi's grandfather King Eldirard and seized control of Natthaven, coercing Skadi through threats against Eldirard's life.

Larsson reveals his scheme to Livia. He is Thorvald's firstborn son by a Ljosalfar noblewoman, warded out of the Ever Kingdom because Thorvald feared his ability to steal magic from others' blood. After Thorvald's death weakened those wards, Larsson spent years breaking through the rest, producing the "darkening," a blight poisoning the Ever Kingdom. The heartbond between Erik and Livia contains the last trace of Thorvald's protective power over the blood crown, and Larsson needs it destroyed to claim the throne.

In a brutal ritual, Fione carves into Livia's chest while Arion forces Skadi to use her affinity to extract the heartbond. Across the sea, Erik collapses in agony as the bond vanishes. Later, Larsson corners Livia and attempts to sexually assault her. She fights back by biting off part of his ear, and he beats her severely. Shortly after, Gavyn Seeker, the bone lord of the House of Bones who can shift into water, materializes on the isle, pulled there by a burst of Skadi's power.

Livia's mother, Queen Elise, visits Erik in his cell and confirms he speaks the truth about loving Livia. Aleksi organizes an escape with help from Livia's brother Rorik and Princess Mira, an earth fae royal with illusion magic. Erik, Aleksi, Jonas, his twin Sander, Mira, and Tait flee to the cliffside, where Erik summons the Ever Ship. On Natthaven, Gavyn helps Livia attempt to flee, but the blood spell wards blast her backward at the shore. She urges Gavyn to find Erik.

Back in the Ever Kingdom, Erik learns that his grandmother Lady Narza has sailed to the earth fae realms seeking him. The spell caster Tavish Spellbreaker joins Erik's forces with his ship, the Shadow Wing. At the Tower, a trading hub, Erik discovers that Lord Hesh of the House of Blades is allied with Larsson and bears a mark granting passage through Natthaven's wards. Narza arrives with Valen, having entered a neach-dai, a peaceful lifetime bond, with the earth fae. Valen and Erik declare a truce. Gavyn confirms Livia's location.

The allied forces assault the House of Blades. Erik boards Hesh's ship while Valen leads a ground assault, cracking open the fortress with his earth-bending fury. Hesh's mistress reveals that the key to Natthaven is a runic mark burned onto Hesh's breastbone. Sewell, the Ever Ship's cook whose Fleshripper voice can peel flesh from bone, exposes the rune, and Hesh is killed.

Trapped on Natthaven, Livia discovers her fury magic commands the isle's soil and trees. When the Ever Ship appears heading toward the wrong side of the isle, she ignites the treetops in the shape of a sea serpent as a beacon. The allies decode the breastbone's symbols and speak an incantation that reveals the hidden isle. Erik dives into the sea and reaches Livia. Skadi and Larsson block their escape, but Skadi summons a white iron dagger and drops it at Erik's feet. Valen's earth-bending cracks the shore away from the isle, plunging Erik and Livia into the sea as Natthaven vanishes. The forced removal tears through the blood spells, and Livia convulses. Erik slashes his own body and sings his healing song until Valen pulls him away.

After recovering, the allies regroup at the royal city. Through Narza's mirror spell, they contact the earth fae; Valen speaks to Rorik through an enchanted shell, and Livia tearfully speaks with her mother. Erik enters Larsson's mind through a spell cast by Avaline Mindtaker, daughter of Lord Joron of the House of Tides, and learns Larsson's battle plans. Jonas volunteers for a neach-dai exchange bond to free Narza so she can fight for the Ever. Erik strips Lord Joron of authority after Livia publicly heals his blighted lands.

Larsson's forces arrive as Natthaven rises from the sea. Erik commands the Ever Ship while Livia, Valen, and their allies swim to the isle. Forces from the Shadow Wing storm Natthaven's shores. Livia pursues Fione into the forest and plunges the white iron dagger into the sea witch's throat, destroying Larsson's shield against death. Jonas, Sander, and Aleksi breach Skadi's chamber; Narza subdues Skadi, and Arion flees. Aboard Larsson's ship, Erik fights his half brother. Valen raises jagged cliffs from the seafloor, caging the vessel. Erik poisons Larsson with his blood, and as Valen raises a rocky spike beneath Larsson's skull, Erik drives his half brother's head onto the stone, killing him.

In the aftermath, King Eldirard is awakened from the stasis sleep Arion imposed and explains how Arion tricked him. Erik offers Skadi refuge and signs a peace treaty with Eldirard. Livia is coronated as the Ever Queen, receiving a crown of gold filigree with Erik's blood flowing through it, built around the bones of their enemies. Skadi uses her affinity to calm the Chasm, allowing safe passage between realms. In a private ceremony, Narza performs a new heartbond ritual combining sea fae and earth fae blood, and new bind runes appear on Erik's and Livia's skin.

In an epilogue, Jonas confesses to his parents that he has petitioned Eldirard for permission to marry Skadi, reasoning that a royal vow would prevent Arion from claiming her affinity. In a final scene, Erik receives Valen's blessing and marries Livia in a Night Folk ceremony with both sea fae and earth fae in attendance, completing the union of two once-warring worlds.