"Rebel archer and magical forest guardian must evade the clutches of false imprisonment"
Reviewed by Make Kay
Posted February 28, 2023
Romance Fantasy
Book 3 in The Rising Wave series, FATE'S ARROW by fantasy romance author Michelle Diener, brings us delightful new characters to join the beloved magic users and warriors from prior books in the series. Readers new to the series can jump in feet first, though, as Diener provides enough backstory that this book can be enjoyed on its own. FATE'S ARROW is a great entry in this stirring fantasy series.
Ava is the new queen, who conquered the prior villainous ruler of Kassia with the assistance of her lover Luc, the military head of a loose coalition of fighting forces known as the Rising Wave. Ava and Luc head to Skäddar to try to save the alliance they have with the mountainous country. Something terrible and possibly magical is killing Skäddar villagers, leaving behind messages that the deaths will continue as long as the Skäddar remain allied with the Rising Wave. If Ava and Luc can’t convince the Skäddar Collective to stand up for their new bond in the face of these threats, they will lose a vital ally on their border.
Ava and Luc are marvelous characters--full of grit and honor. Each is so caring in their own way. I adore them separately, and even more together. It's great to watch them work to move beyond the damage that Ava sustained during her captivity by the earlier corrupt Kassian forces. Their romance is heartwarming, and I enjoy watching it deepen.
Massi is a badass rebel warrior who has worked with Luc for years. She has now been sent by Ava and Luc to liberate Ava's incarcerated friends. Massi finds many others held at the same secret prison and manages to break them all out. Thus follows a cat-and-mouse game as Ava and the prisoners try to remain beyond the clutches of the prison warden and his henchmen, and the tension is marvelous! Duncan is one of the former prisoners who has amazing magical powers over his forest. Duncan and Massi are drawn instantly to each other and must figure out how to balance their growing relationship while still fighting for their own freedom, or for justice for others as well. Massi and Duncan are another couple that is so easy to love. The competence of each of so sexy!
Diener's fantasy FATE'S ARROW brings the reader romance, magic, and plenty of suspense along with two great romances. Long-time fans and new readers alike will be pleased with this tale.
SUMMARY
A dark force at work
Ava and Luc are asked to head north to Skäddar, a move necessary to save the alliance they have created with the mountainous country. Something terrible is killing Skäddar villagers and leaving messages behind with their bodies that the deaths will continue as long as the Skäddar are in alliance with the Rising Wave. If Ava and Luc can’t convince the Skäddar Collective to stand up for their new friendship in the face of the tragedy, they will lose a vital ally in the region.
A dark room to cage a prisoner
Massi is deep inside Grimwalt, successful in her mission to find Ava’s incarcerated friends, Tomas and Velda. But the two are not being held alone. Massi finds many others being kept with them, as well as a prisoner kept in darkness whose power shines so bright, Massi can’t imagine how the Speaker imprisoned him to begin with.
A dark cloud that needs to be dispelled
Duncan has been held far from his home on the Skäddar border, and he takes the chance of escape that Massi gives him with both hands. When he and Massi have to part ways, though—Massi to get Ava’s friends to safety, him to return to the forest he was ripped away from—he can’t deny his attraction to the fierce archer, or his reluctance to let her go.
But when he gets home, and finds the power of his domain is being used to commit terrible atrocities, he’ll need Massi’s help, and those of her friends, to rid Grimwalt of the blight that is trying to take hold.
Fate’s Arrow is the third book in the Rising Wave series. The series begins with The Rising Wave, a prequel novella, and continues with The Turncoat King and The Threadbare Queen.
ExcerptExcerpt from Fate’s Arrow by Michelle Diener (Rising Wave #3)
“Travelers approaching.” The call went up from the watchers facing east, and Luc strode to the outrider who had returned with the news. Before he reached them, there was a cry of welcome from Pilar.
When Luc reached the two newcomers who had ridden into the camp, they were already out of the saddle, in Pilar’s embrace.
Luc didn’t speak Skäddar, but it was clearly a warm and happy reunion.
“Luc.” Pilar turned to him. “This is Britta and Dragir. They are friends from home.”
They had been riding hard, Luc could see it in the way their horses were breathing, and in the sweat in the riders’ hair.
Which meant bad news.
Luc had yet to find someone who rode through the night to bring good news.
“Trouble?” he asked.
“More strange than immediately dangerous,” Britta said.
“Then see to your horses, set up camp, and wash and eat. When you’re feeling rested, come and find me, and we can talk.”
Both riders gave a nod of thanks at that, and Pilar led them away to help settle them in.
Luc could hear Helmi and Britta laughing together in delight at seeing each other as they moved away.
“Trouble?” Ava asked, when he rejoined her.
She had finished putting the tent up, and he gave a chuckle at how exactly her thoughts followed his own.
He rubbed a hand through his hair. “Probably. Two Skäddar warriors have come with a message. I told them to rest and eat first.”
She nodded, pulling out clothes from the saddle bags she had carried over to their tent. “I’m going to wash off in the river, change, and then eat.”
She took out a needle and thread and a scarf, and bit her lip in concentration as she stitched the corner.
“What does that do?” he asked, always amazed at how effortlessly she seemed to create something beautiful.
The design she’d stitched into the scarf looked like a leaf.
“This should let me wash up in the river without anyone seeing me strip down.” She raised her head. “I won’t have to worry about prying eyes.”
“You could order everyone to look the other way,” he said, and as he knew she would, she scoffed at that.
“I should really just wash with everyone else, but . . .” She looked down at herself.
She was still self-conscious about how much muscle and weight she had lost since she’d been abducted. He knew it, but sometimes, he realized, he didn’t understand how deep it went.
Telling her she was beautiful as she was wasn’t going to help——he had tried that already.
Time would slowly bring her back to how she had been before, but until then, he was prepared to indulge her as much as she needed to be indulged.
“Have you got another scarf for me?” he asked.
She shoved her hand into her pack, rummaging around before she pulled out a second scarf. “You don’t really need it.”
“I quite like the idea of being invisible in the water with you.”
Her head jerked in surprise, as if she’d expected him to push back against her, say exactly what he’d just managed to stop himself from saying. Then she gave a slow smile. “Well, put like that . . .”
She bent her head to stitch a leaf into his scarf. When she lifted her gaze to hand it to him, her eyes were serious. “Thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me?” he asked, lunging forward to scoop her up, shocked as always by the strange lightness in her bones. He let the happy sound of her laughter against his chest lift his spirits as he strode to the river with her tucked close to his heart. “Naked swimming with my queen? It’s me who should be thanking you.”
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