Fire and Frost

Rune's childhood is marked by loss and survival. Hiding from immortal patrols in a frozen cabin, she witnesses her mother's abduction and the burning of her home. Her father and brother were already taken by the Selection, a yearly reaping of mortals by the immortal rulers as punishment for a past uprising. Alone, Rune flees into the snow, clutching the last remnants of her family and vowing to never let fear rule her again. The trauma and hate she carries become the fuel for her future, setting her on a path of vengeance and desperate hope.

The Selection's Price

Years later, Rune is a fugitive in the ruined mortal capital, her face on wanted posters. She deliberately seeks out the Selection, the only way mortals can cross into the immortal realms. The process is brutal and public, with immortals—druids this year—choosing their "tribute." Rune's determination to be picked is driven by her need to find her family and take control of her fate. She catches the eye of Prince Draven, who, with his young brother, ultimately selects her. The moment is charged with fear, defiance, and the first spark of a dangerous connection.

Oath of Chains

The Selected are marched to the Immortal Wall, where they must swear an Oath of loyalty to the druid king, Silas. The ritual is agonizing, transforming mortals into changelings—part-immortal, part-human, with pointed ears, fangs, and new powers. Rune is forced to drink, her body and identity altered against her will. The Oath severs her from her past, binding her to Sedah and making escape impossible. The pain and violation deepen her resolve, but also plant seeds of self-doubt and alienation.

Changelings and Arcana

The changelings are introduced to the Forge, a magical academy where they must train in tarot-based Arcana—each person attuned to a specific power. Rune draws the rarest card, the World, granting her the potential for all powers if she can master them. She is isolated, sharing a Hearth with Prince Draven, who is both her rival and reluctant mentor. The academy is a crucible of prejudice, competition, and violence, with changelings at the bottom of the social order. Rune's struggle to adapt is complicated by her grief, anger, and the loss of her cultural identity.

The Prince's Game

Living with Draven is a constant battle of wills. He is arrogant, powerful, and hiding secrets of his own. Their relationship is antagonistic, laced with attraction and mutual suspicion. Rune's past as a Wraith—a master spy and survivor—serves her well, but also makes her a target. As she navigates the deadly politics of Sedah, she forms fragile friendships with other changelings, but trust is scarce. Draven's interest in her is both a threat and a lifeline, and their fates become increasingly entwined.

Enemies and Allies

Rune endures brutal training, both physical and magical, facing prejudice from immortal-born students and the ever-present threat of violence. She discovers the truth about the Selection: changelings are not just punishment, but a way for immortals to circumvent a Curse that prevents them from having heirs. Changelings are adopted, assimilated, and used to continue immortal bloodlines. The revelation is devastating, reframing her own existence as a tool in a centuries-old power struggle. Rune's anger and sense of betrayal deepen, but so does her resolve to change the system.

The Curse Revealed

Draven confides in Rune, revealing his own origins as a changeling, the adopted son of the druid king, and the child of the mortal rebel leader Kieran Ceres. The Curse, created by Rune's mother and Draven's father, prevents immortals from having children, forcing them to take mortals as changelings. The truth binds Rune and Draven together in shared trauma and purpose, but also places them at the center of a dangerous prophecy. Their partnership becomes a pact: to find the legendary Arcadian Artifacts, break the Oaths, and seize power for themselves.

Dangerous Desires

The tension between Rune and Draven erupts into passion, but their relationship is fraught with mistrust and the weight of their pasts. They make a magical vow to act as partners—fated mates in the eyes of the court—while secretly plotting to upend the immortal order. Their alliance is both political and deeply personal, each needing the other to achieve their goals. As they train, scheme, and grow closer, the line between pretense and genuine feeling blurs, and the stakes of their partnership become life and death.

Hollow Fest

The academy's Hollow Festival is a night of revelry and danger. Rune and Draven's public display as fated mates cements their status, but also draws the attention of enemies. A group of changeling rebels, manipulated by outside forces, attempt to assassinate Draven, using Rune as bait. The attack is foiled, but the betrayal cuts deep, exposing the fragility of trust among the oppressed. The aftermath leaves Rune and Draven more isolated, but also more determined to change the world that made them both weapons.

The Elven Labyrinth

Draven and Rune travel to the elven kingdom of Alfheim under the guise of a diplomatic mission, seeking zenith crystal and clues to the Arcadian Artifacts. The elven court is a maze of manipulation, prejudice, and hidden dangers. Rune discovers her mother, enslaved and transformed, and learns the full extent of her family's involvement in the creation of the Curse. The reunion is fraught with pain, guilt, and impossible choices. Draven and Rune's partnership is tested as secrets come to light and old wounds are reopened.

Drake's Lair

In a deadly cavern, Rune and Draven's group faces a living drake and its brood. The battle is brutal, with casualties on both sides. Rune, pushed to her limits, finally unlocks the Star Arcana, forging weapons of hope and light. Together, she and Draven defeat the drake, but the cost is high. They recover the Darkstone, one of the Arcadian Artifacts, and return to Sedah changed—stronger, but more haunted by what they've lost and what they must still do.

The World's Power

Back at the Forge, Rune and Draven's relationship deepens, culminating in a proposal and the exchange of gifts: the Oathbreaker cup, which can sever magical bonds, and a promise of shared rule. Their happiness is short-lived. Kasper, a traitor and the bastard son of the seraph king, attacks, gravely wounding Draven and killing Felix, one of Rune's friends. The betrayal shatters their circle, and the stolen Darkstone falls into enemy hands. Rune's healing powers, fueled by love, save Draven, but the cost is immense.

Betrayal and Blood

The seraph king Altair invades Sedah, seeking Rune's mother to break the Curse and seize power. A brutal battle erupts on the palace lawns. Rune's father is killed before her eyes, and Altair escapes with the Darkstone. The aftermath is devastation: friends dead, family lost, and the threat of war looming. Rune and Draven, united by grief and vengeance, vow to take the thrones and destroy anyone who stands in their way. Their partnership is now a crusade, fueled by love, loss, and the promise of a better world.

The Seraph's Siege

As Sedah reels from the attack, Rune and Draven must navigate the aftermath: mourning, political intrigue, and the gathering storm of war. The seraphs and elves are poised to unite against mortals and changelings, and Rune's mother is now a pawn in their game. The Oathbreaker cup offers a chance at freedom, but also the risk of unleashing chaos. Rune and Draven's love is both a weapon and a vulnerability, binding them together as they prepare for the final battle.

Loss and Vow

Rune buries her father and mourns her friends, haunted by guilt and the weight of her choices. Draven, scarred and changed, stands by her side, offering love and the promise of partnership. Together, they resolve to finish what they started: to find the remaining Artifacts, break the Oaths, and seize the thrones of Arcadia. Their vow is both a promise and a threat—to each other, to their enemies, and to the world that made them.

Partners in Vengeance

The story closes with Rune and Draven united, partners in love and war, ready to claim their destiny. Their journey has been one of pain, betrayal, and transformation, but also of hope, healing, and the forging of unbreakable bonds. As war looms and the future remains uncertain, they stand together, vowing to take everything from those who took from them—and to build a world where no one else will suffer as they have. The cycle is not yet complete, but the World card is in their hands.

Characters

Rune Ryker

Rune is a mortal woman forged by loss, trauma, and the relentless drive to reclaim her family and agency. Marked by the Selection's violence, she becomes a changeling, gaining power but losing her past. Her time as the Wraith of Westfall—a master spy and survivor—makes her resourceful, cunning, and wary of trust. Rune's psychological journey is one of overcoming fear, anger, and self-doubt, learning to wield both her pain and her hope as weapons. Her relationship with Draven is fraught with tension, attraction, and the slow, hard-won growth of love and partnership. She is both a symbol of vengeance and the possibility of healing, her arc defined by the struggle to break free from the chains of fate and forge her own destiny.

Draven Vos

Draven is the adopted son of the druid king, but secretly the child of the mortal rebel leader Kieran Ceres and a demigoddess. His life is shaped by trauma, secrecy, and the burden of impossible expectations. As a changeling, he is both insider and outsider, wielding immense power but never truly belonging. Draven's psychological complexity lies in his struggle with identity, loyalty, and the fear of abandonment. His relationship with Rune is a crucible for his vulnerability and ambition, forcing him to confront his own capacity for love and trust. Draven is both a weapon and a would-be savior, his arc defined by the quest to seize power not for its own sake, but to break the cycle of violence and create a world where he—and Rune—can finally be free.

Silas Vos

King Silas is a master of power and control, ruling Sedah with a mix of fear, tradition, and cunning. He is both a father and a political architect, shaping Draven into a weapon while keeping his own secrets. Silas's relationship with Draven is fraught with tension, pride, and disappointment, reflecting the generational trauma of the immortal-mortal conflict. He is both a product and perpetuator of the system, his actions driven by the need to maintain order and survive in a world built on betrayal.

Reina Ryker (Reina the Ravager)

Rune's mother is a figure of both love and devastation. Once a revolutionary, she helped create the Curse that changed the world, believing it was the only way to protect mortals. Her choices haunt her, and her relationship with Rune is marked by guilt, secrecy, and the impossible burden of survival. Reina's arc is one of sacrifice and regret, her love for her children at war with the consequences of her actions.

Kasper

Kasper is a changeling with a hidden agenda, the bastard son of the seraph king. His psychological profile is defined by resentment, ambition, and a desperate need for recognition. Kasper's betrayal is both personal and political, driven by the wounds of abandonment and the lure of power. He is a mirror for Rune's own fears of being used and discarded, his actions setting in motion the final tragedy of the story.

Ember

Ember is a changeling who becomes Rune's closest friend and confidante. Her warmth, loyalty, and resilience provide a counterpoint to Rune's anger and isolation. Ember's arc is one of quiet strength, her healing powers both literal and symbolic. She represents the possibility of community and the importance of chosen family in a world that seeks to divide and conquer.

Wynter

Wynter is a druid-born student with the power of Judgment, able to control the living and the dead. He is gentle, principled, and quietly courageous, often serving as a voice of reason and support for Rune. Wynter's unrequited feelings for Rune and his grief over Felix's death add depth to his character, highlighting the costs of war and the importance of empathy.

Felix

Felix is a changeling whose optimism and kindness make him a beloved member of Rune's circle. His death at Kasper's hands is a turning point, shattering the group's innocence and underscoring the story's themes of sacrifice and the randomness of violence. Felix's arc is brief but impactful, his loss a catalyst for Rune's final transformation.

Scorpius and Fable

Scorpius and Fable are powerful druids, siblings who serve as Draven's closest allies. Scorpius is wary and protective, often suspicious of outsiders, while Fable is mischievous, supportive, and skilled in time magic. Their loyalty to Draven and eventual acceptance of Rune reflect the slow building of trust and the importance of found family in the face of adversity.

King Altair

King Altair is the primary antagonist, ruling through fear, manipulation, and the relentless pursuit of control. His actions are driven by a desire to break the Curse, destroy mortal resistance, and cement his own legacy. Altair's psychological profile is one of entitlement, rage, and the inability to see others as anything but tools or threats. He is the force against which Rune and Draven must define themselves, his cruelty the crucible in which their partnership is forged.

Plot Devices

The Selection and the Oath

The Selection is the annual reaping of mortals by the immortal rulers, a punishment for past rebellion and a means of perpetuating their power. The Oath, a magical binding, transforms mortals into changelings and severs them from their past, ensuring loyalty and preventing escape. These devices serve as both literal and metaphorical chains, exploring themes of trauma, assimilation, and the cost of survival. The Oath's nonconsensual transformation is a recurring motif, symbolizing the violence of forced identity and the struggle to reclaim agency.

Tarot Arcana and Magic

The magic system is built around tarot Arcana, each representing a specific power and social status. The Major Arcana define a person's abilities and place in the hierarchy, while the Minor Arcana enhance and shape those powers. The World card, drawn by both Rune and Draven, is the rarest and most powerful, symbolizing the potential for change and the burden of destiny. The Arcana serve as both tools and traps, offering the possibility of agency while reinforcing the structures of control.

The Curse and Changelings

The Curse, created by Rune's mother and Draven's father, prevents immortals from having children, forcing them to take mortals as changelings. This device reframes the Selection as not just punishment, but a desperate attempt to survive. Changelings are both victims and inheritors of the system, their existence a living reminder of the costs of rebellion and the impossibility of clean solutions. The Curse is both a source of power and a wound that never heals, driving the story's central conflicts.

The Arcadian Artifacts

The legendary Artifacts—Oathbreaker, Darkstone, Kingmaker, and Lightbringer—are the keys to breaking the Oaths, seizing power, and reshaping the world. Their search serves as the backbone of the plot, driving Rune and Draven's partnership and providing a tangible goal for their rebellion. The Artifacts are both MacGuffins and symbols, representing the hope for change and the dangers of unchecked power.

Fated Mates and the Pact

The trope of fated mates is subverted, used as both a political tool and a genuine source of connection. Rune and Draven's magical pact binds them together, forcing them to confront their own fears, desires, and capacity for love. The line between pretense and reality blurs, and their partnership becomes the story's emotional core. The pact is both a shield and a vulnerability, exploring themes of trust, intimacy, and the possibility of healing through connection.

Betrayal, Loss, and Vengeance

The story is structured around cycles of betrayal and loss, each one deepening the characters' wounds but also forging their resolve. The deaths of friends and family, the betrayals by allies, and the constant threat of violence serve as both obstacles and catalysts for growth. Foreshadowing is used to build tension, with early losses and secrets hinting at the final confrontations. The narrative structure is circular, echoing the journey of the World card: beginnings, endings, and the possibility of breaking free.

Analysis

A Vow in Vengeance is a sweeping romantasy that interrogates the cost of survival, the legacy of trauma, and the possibility of forging one's own destiny in a world built on cycles of violence and assimilation. Through the lens of tarot-based magic and the brutal system of the Selection, the novel explores themes of identity, agency, and the struggle to reclaim power from those who wield it as a weapon. Rune and Draven's journey is both intensely personal and deeply political, their partnership a crucible for healing, love, and the forging of a new world. The story refuses easy answers, acknowledging the complexity of rebellion, the weight of history, and the impossibility of clean solutions. Ultimately, the novel is a testament to the power of chosen family, the necessity of hope, and the courage required to break the chains of fate. It asks what we are willing to sacrifice for freedom—and whether, in the end, love can be both a weapon and a balm.

Last updated: January 29, 2026