Ashen Hand of Kessrin, The

They Have Returned. The siege of Arelium has been broken, but only at a great and terrible cost. The Baron has fallen, the unsuspecting victim of an intricate web of lies devised to drive a wedge between Arelium and the coastal Barony of Kessrin. Merad Reed, scarred and disillusioned, is haunted by the tragic deaths of the men under his command. When all contact is lost with the Old Guard of Morlak, he reluctantly travels north to investigate, only to find the truth is far worse than anything he could have imagined. After narrowly escaping an attempt on her own life, Jelaïa del Arelium is struggling to understand her emerging abilities, and the crippling addiction that comes with them. The priestesses of Brachyura may hold the answers she seeks, but after years of protecting the secrets of the Twelve can they still be trusted? Lord Praxis, now acting as Regent, must face the unforeseen consequences of his own machinations when a simple dagger leads him from the shining towers of Kessrin to the tempestuous Sea of Sorrow, and a terrifying new threat. Meanwhile, somewhere on a dusty road far from civilisation, an ancient demi-god is slowly coming to meet them. He has awoken from decades of slumber to fulfil his one last purpose … Lay waste to the lands of men. “After an explosive first novel, this gripping second instalment continues the War of the Twelve series, weaving an addictive tale of hidden mysteries, dangerous magic, and vicious battles.”