Canyon of Crystal

Alara has escaped the Haven, and the Council wants her back. With a small band of fugitives she crosses hostile territory while councilguards track every move. Behind them, the rebellion she helped start is pushing Sombria toward open civil war between people with magic and people without.

The story is told through several points of view. Alara has to decide whether she can bring herself to fight the allies she once trusted. Quenti has taken up arms against the Council, even though that puts her alongside people she used to despise.

The group grows with the arrival of Mena and Beno, twins who can walk minds. New allies help, but the rebellion's losses weigh on everyone in the band.

This YA epic fantasy is the second book in The Mage War Chronicles and picks up directly where City of Mages ends. Elemental magic, a varied cast and political stakes drive the plot, and the question is whether Alara's side can hold together as the war widens.