Prequel to the Priory of the Orange Tree, this book sets up a lot of the world and structures that we see later on. (It’s been a few years since I read Priory, so I only recognized a few elements, but enough to keep me reading.) The main characters are Sabran and her daughter Glorian, bound to carry the legacy of their ancestor and protect their kingdom; Dumai, secret heir to magic and empire; and Tunuva, warrior sworn to a greater cause. Each of the women finds herself fighting a separate part of the battle against a world-ending threat. Although there’s a lot going on with dragons, plague, and political tensions, Shannon still finds a way to develop each woman’s story. Things I loved: Sabran and Glorian’s complicated dedication to their birthright, and Tunuva’s characterization as a capable warrior and a sexual being even as an older woman. The entire book verged on being almost too long and complicated, but then I remember Priory being the same way.