Faithless

This is the second volume of C. L. Clark's Magic of the Lost trilogy. Touraine, a soldier, and Luca, a princess, travel back to Balladaire, where Luca hopes to regain the throne from her uncle. The rebels have triumphed and the empire is pulling out of Qazal, but unpicking the knots that tie the two nations together is proving difficult.

Luca's uncle has no intention of giving up power. When he announces a "Trial of Competence" and her allies begin to vanish from her side, Luca must find a way to demonstrate her strength. She knows someone who might be able to help her.

Touraine has built a life in Qazal, now a free country, but she quickly learns that governing a nation is a very different challenge from leading a revolution. The fate of the Qazali is also bound to a treaty that Luca's uncle has yet to ratify. Without his approval, the country could find itself back where it started.

The two women must confront their enemies, their shared past, and the pain between them if they are to protect Luca's authority and Touraine's freedom.