Prison Shadows and Sacrifice

In the darkness of Saddoriel's prison, Cerys feigns madness to protect her daughter, Rohesia, from the ever-watchful Queen Delja. Roh's journey is set in motion by her selfless act—sacrificing her deathsong to save her companions, a choice that leaves her songless and vulnerable. The weight of legacy, love, and secrecy hangs heavy, as Cerys and Delja's ancient rivalry simmers, and Roh's fate becomes entwined with the future of cyrenkind.

River Journey and Regrets

Roh and her diverse group of allies—warriors, warlocks, humans, and a sea drake—navigate treacherous rivers and emotional undercurrents. The loss of her deathsong haunts Roh, straining her sense of self and her relationships, especially with Finn, whose own vulnerabilities come to light. The group's camaraderie is tested by secrets, longing, and the looming pressure of the final birthstone quest, as time slips away and the stakes rise.

Refugees and Reckonings

Arriving at Lamaka's Basin, the group encounters Akorian refugees, displaced by Roh's earlier actions. Guilt and anger flare as Roh faces the consequences of her choices, and the suffering of her people. The tension between justice and mercy is palpable, as Roh must balance her role as a would-be queen with the pain she's caused, and the need to unite fractured cyrenkind.

Warlock Supreme's Threat

The Warlock Supreme's eagle signals the approach of a new threat. Warlocks, led by Deodan's estranged mother, prepare to seize Lochloria, seeking vengeance and a homeland. Roh's group is caught between warring factions, forced to confront old wounds and the possibility of war. The fragile peace is shattered, and the need for unity and understanding becomes more urgent than ever.

Monsters and Mercy

A monstrous sea creature, summoned by warlock magic, attacks the refugee camp. Roh and her companions fight desperately, risking their lives to protect the innocent. The battle is brutal and chaotic, testing their skills, courage, and loyalty. In the aftermath, the lines between friend and foe blur, and the cost of leadership becomes painfully clear.

Wounds and Warnings

The group tends to their wounds, both physical and emotional. Roh's hidden injury nearly proves fatal, saved only by the intervention of her sea drake and Deodan's magic. Prophecies and curses surface, hinting at a winged savior and a land in need of healing. The journey to Lochloria is fraught with uncertainty, as the past and future collide.

Lochloria's Keeper

In Lochloria, Roh faces Elna, the territory's keeper, whose loyalty to the old order is unwavering. The battalion's presence signals the council's distrust, and the final birthstone is hidden behind layers of challenge and prejudice. Roh must navigate political intrigue, family legacies, and the ever-present threat of betrayal, as she seeks to prove her worth.

Cursed Lands, Frozen Pool

The mirror pool, once a gateway home, is found frozen and useless, a symbol of Lochloria's curse and the warlocks' exile. Time is running out, and the council's manipulations become clear. Roh's resolve is tested as she faces the possibility of failure, and the need to find another way to claim her destiny.

Echoes of the Past

Guided by a young nestling, Roh visits the Irons family's old quarters, feeling the weight of her lineage and the echoes of her parents' and grandmother's lives. The past is ever-present, shaping Roh's sense of self and her understanding of the burdens she carries. The search for the birthstone becomes a journey through memory, loss, and longing.

Secrets in the Archives

The Lochlorian Archives hold secrets about warlock tombs and the challenges ahead, but Elna has hidden the most crucial texts. Roh and Yrsa's investigation is stymied by politics and fear, but a child's guidance leads them to unexpected revelations. The importance of knowledge, history, and the courage to seek the truth is underscored.

Warlock Magic Awakened

Roh seeks to awaken her warlock heritage, training with Deodan in the forest. The process is slow and fraught with self-doubt, but the possibility of new magic offers hope. The boundaries between cyren and warlock blur, and Roh's identity becomes more complex, as she strives to find strength in her dual nature.

Tomb of Trials

The final challenge for the Gauntlet Ruby is a deadly tomb filled with traps, illusions, and impossible choices. Harlyn is taken hostage, and Roh must race against time and the council's machinations to save her friend and claim the birthstone. The ordeal tests every skill, bond, and ounce of courage the group possesses.

The Half-Gem Deceit

The Gauntlet Ruby is only half-recovered, a cruel twist by the council to prolong Roh's suffering and delay her coronation. The group is forced into a new, perilous challenge—retrieving the other half from a backahast foal. The cost of leadership and the council's willingness to manipulate and endanger their own people is laid bare.

Sacrifice on the Ice

In a harrowing climax, Roh must choose between seizing the final birthstone or saving two innocent nestlings from drowning. She chooses mercy, sacrificing her claim to the crown for the lives of others. Her selflessness is witnessed by Elna, who, moved by Roh's actions, ultimately gives her the missing half of the ruby.

Lifesong's Awakening

Roh's sacrifice and near-death experience beneath the ice unlock a new power within her—a lifesong, a rare and ancient magic. Visions of her parents' love and sacrifice, and the true history of cyrenkind, are revealed. Roh emerges changed, with new strength and understanding, ready to claim her destiny.

The Final Birthstone

With the Gauntlet Ruby whole, Roh is crowned Queen of Cyrens. She enacts sweeping reforms: ending the bone cleaner caste, outlawing deathsongs against innocents, and forging peace with warlocks and humans. The coronation is both a celebration and a reckoning, as Roh and her friends reflect on all they have lost and gained.

Terror Tempests Unleashed

The terror tempests, long prophesied and feared, strike Saddoriel with unprecedented force. The lair is shaken to its core, and the Warlock Supreme's fleet arrives, signaling the start of open war. Roh and her allies must rally every resource, magical and mundane, to defend their home and people.

The Gathering of Power

As the lair's defenses falter, Roh discovers that her lifesong—born of love and sacrifice—can heal and reinforce the ancient enchantments. With the help of her friends and the gathering of power from all corners of the realm, she saves Saddoriel from destruction, but at great personal cost.

Coronation and Change

In the aftermath, Roh and Yrsa are crowned as dual queens, symbolizing a new era of balance and accountability. The council is reformed, old injustices are addressed, and the promise of unity between cyrens, warlocks, and humans is made real. The legacy of the past is honored, but the future is claimed.

Truths from the Tome

The Tome of Kyeos reveals the true history of cyrenkind: Delja's betrayal, the origins of the First Cry, and the suppression of cyren wings. Roh shares these truths with her people, breaking the cycle of lies and opening the way for all cyrens to reclaim their birthright.

Delja's Downfall

Delja, exposed as the true Elder Slayer and usurper, is imprisoned. Roh confronts her, seeking understanding and closure. Delja's motivations—fear, envy, and the hunger for power—are laid bare, and Roh resolves to build a legacy of truth, compassion, and justice.

War's Bitter Price

The war with the Warlock Supreme brings devastation and heartbreak. Allies and enemies fall, and the cost of victory is steep. Odi, the Prince of Melodies, sacrifices himself to save Roh, and his death leaves a wound that will never fully heal. The survivors mourn, honor the fallen, and vow to build a better world.

Farewell to the Prince

Roh and her friends return Odi's body to his family on the Isle of Dusan, honoring his memory with music and love. The pain of loss is tempered by the bonds they share and the hope that Odi's legacy will inspire future generations. The journey is both an ending and a beginning.

A New Era Dawns

Six months later, Saddoriel and its territories are transformed. The new queens rule with wisdom and compassion, the council is reformed, and old wounds begin to heal. The Odalis Arrowood Academy of Music is founded in Odi's honor, and Roh and Harlyn set out on a new adventure, guided by hope, memory, and the promise of a better future.

Characters

Rohesia Irons

Roh is the heart of the story—a young cyren of mixed heritage, haunted by her mother's infamy and her own sense of inadequacy. Her journey is one of sacrifice, self-discovery, and transformation. Songless after giving up her deathsong to save her friends, she must find new strength in her warlock heritage and, ultimately, her rare lifesong. Roh's relationships—with her mother Cerys, her mentor Marlow, her lover Finn, and her found family—are complex and deeply felt. She is driven by a fierce sense of justice, compassion, and the desire to unite a fractured world, even as she struggles with doubt, grief, and the weight of leadership.

Cerys Irons

Once a feared warrior and the so-called Elder Slayer, Cerys is revealed to be a victim of Delja's betrayal and centuries of lies. Her love for Roh is fierce but often hidden behind masks of madness and stoicism, a survival mechanism in the face of endless imprisonment. Cerys's relationship with her brother Marlow and her lost love Eadric shapes her actions, and her eventual vindication is both a personal and political triumph. She is a symbol of endurance, sacrifice, and the cost of power.

Delja (Deelie)

Delja is both Roh's greatest enemy and a twisted mirror of her own ambition. Once Cerys's closest friend, Delja's hunger for power, fear of abandonment, and envy drive her to betray everyone she loves. Her manipulation of history, the First Cry, and the council's lies create the central conflict of the story. Delja's psychological complexity—her need for love, her inability to share power, her self-justification—makes her a tragic, unforgettable antagonist.

Finn Haertel

Finn is a Jaktaren outcast, marked by physical and emotional scars. His relationship with Roh is slow-burning, passionate, and deeply supportive, offering both of them a chance at healing and acceptance. Finn's loyalty, skill, and quiet strength make him a vital member of the group, and his journey from shame to self-acceptance mirrors Roh's own.

Deodan

Deodan is a warrior warlock torn between his heritage and his chosen family. His alliance with Roh is hard-won, and his struggle for acceptance—by his mother, his people, and himself—drives much of his arc. Deodan's magic, courage, and vulnerability make him both a powerful ally and a symbol of the possibility of reconciliation between cyrens and warlocks.

Odi (Odalis Arrowood)

Odi is the outsider who becomes indispensable—a human forced into the Queen's Tournament, whose music, humor, and quiet bravery win the hearts of his companions. His sacrifice to save Roh is the emotional climax of the story, and his legacy—embodied in the Academy of Music and the hope he inspires—endures beyond his death. Odi's journey is one of belonging, courage, and the power of art to heal and unite.

Harlyn

Harlyn is Roh's oldest friend, a bone cleaner with a sharp tongue and a loyal heart. Her journey is marked by loss—of Orson, of Odi, of innocence—but also by resilience and the search for meaning. Harlyn's struggles with grief, guilt, and the supernatural voice of Orson add depth to her character, and her unwavering support for Roh is a cornerstone of the found family.

Yrsa

Yrsa is a Jaktaren with a calm, logical mind and a deep sense of duty. Her partnership with Roh as co-queen symbolizes the new era of balance and shared power. Yrsa's relationship with Piri, her loyalty to her friends, and her ability to see the bigger picture make her an essential leader and confidante.

Kezra

Kezra is a towering Csillan warrior, known for her strength, humor, and culinary skills. She is a stabilizing force in the group, unafraid to challenge authority or tradition. Kezra's leadership in battle and her role in the new council reflect her commitment to justice and change.

Marlow (Ames)

Marlow is Cerys's brother and Roh's mentor, a bone cleaner with a hidden warlock heritage. His guidance, wisdom, and quiet suffering shape Roh's journey, and his eventual reunion with Cerys is a moment of healing and hope. Marlow embodies the importance of history, memory, and the courage to face the truth.

Plot Devices

Dual Heritage and Identity

The narrative is driven by Roh's struggle to reconcile her cyren and warlock heritage, a metaphor for the broader need for unity and acceptance. Her journey from songless outcast to lifesong-wielding queen mirrors the transformation of the realm itself, and her ability to bridge worlds is both a source of conflict and the key to salvation.

The Tournament and the Birthstones

The Queen's Tournament and the quest for the three birthstones provide a clear, escalating structure for the story. Each challenge tests Roh's skills, values, and relationships, while also exposing the corruption and cruelty of the old order. The birthstones themselves are symbols of power, truth, and the right to rule, and their acquisition marks Roh's growth.

Found Family and Sacrifice

The emotional core of the story is the found family Roh builds—friends, lovers, and allies who choose each other in the face of adversity. The sacrifices they make for one another, especially Odi's ultimate act, underscore the themes of love, loss, and the true meaning of leadership.

Lies, History, and the Tome of Kyeos

The suppression of cyren wings, the First Cry, and the rewriting of history are central mysteries. The Tome of Kyeos serves as both a literal and symbolic key to the truth, and the act of reading and sharing its contents is a turning point. The story uses foreshadowing, visions, and parallel timelines to reveal the depth of the council's deception and the possibility of redemption.

Magic as Metaphor

Magic in the story is deeply tied to identity, emotion, and morality. The contrast between deathsong (destruction) and lifesong (creation) reflects the choices Roh and others must make—between vengeance and mercy, power and compassion. The awakening of Roh's lifesong is both a personal and political revolution.

Prophecy and Destiny

Prophecies about the winged one, the curse on Lochloria, and the gathering of power create tension and expectation. The story subverts these prophecies by revealing that destiny is shaped by choice, sacrifice, and the willingness to break cycles of violence and oppression.

Analysis

"To Wield a Crown" is a sweeping, emotionally charged fantasy that interrogates the nature of power, legacy, and the possibility of change. At its heart is the journey of Rohesia Irons, whose struggle to reconcile her heritage, her losses, and her responsibilities mirrors the transformation of her world. The novel is a meditation on the cost of leadership—the sacrifices demanded, the pain of loss, and the courage required to break with tradition and forge a new path. Through its intricate plot and deeply drawn characters, the story explores the dangers of unchecked ambition, the corrosive effects of lies and prejudice, and the redemptive power of truth, love, and found family. The ultimate message is one of hope: that even in a world scarred by betrayal and violence, it is possible to heal, to unite, and to build something better. The legacy of the past need not define the future, and the true strength of a leader lies not in the power they wield, but in the compassion, wisdom, and resilience they inspire in others.

Last updated: September 26, 2025