This book starts off fast paced and immediately brings up several questions that make the story and the characters very interesting while leaving the reader wanting to know more.
The world itself is very intriguing, not to mention the idea of the Faithless which is a group that Dru is a part of with not much information given on them besides their deadliness and rebellion against the Imperium who are trying to take over the rule of as many places as possible. Beyond this, there is also a mysteriousness behind why Marcus has sought out Dru to bring her to King Cato in order to – supposedly – train him for the trials to come. Feeling there are better contenders for this job, Dru is left trying to find answers on why she has been brought in specifically and I was deeply intrigued to get these answers as well.
As for Marcus, it’s difficult to resist a strong warrior who will protect his lady love no matter what cost – even if the lady in question doesn’t need much protecting. I was super happy that this book contained both points of view from Dru, as well as Marcus, as I hadn’t been expecting the latter’s and having both really elevated the book. It allows insight into both characters that would otherwise be missing and amps up the tension of Trial of Bronze and Blood. And I can’t forget Cato, the King who possesses a great sarcastic wit, and is sassy to boot. I do love my sassy royalty who are always seeking fun and debauchery so I was so smitten by Cato, particularly as you get to learn more about him. I loved the main characters so much and really enjoyed learning about their stories, their backgrounds and their relationships with one another, particularly those that grew throughout the course of the book.
I also really enjoyed the plot. The trials were super fun to read about, and of course tense because of the high stakes involved. It took me a few chapters to get truly invested in the story, but once I did, I was completely all in on it and had a very hard time putting the book down. I finished it much faster than I anticipated because of this and now find myself really wanting the sequel because a lot is left up in the air at the end of the book. This is a definite recommend and I absolutely cannot wait for more of the series now.
