Thorns & Fire – by Helen Scheuerer
Book 2 in The Ashes of Thezmarr Series

A bond forged in blood.
A love threaded with ruin.

Wren Embervale and Torj Elderbrock have survived the worst the realms could throw at them—but their connection, powerful as it is, has come dangerously close to destroying them both. With Thezmarr teetering on the edge of yet another war, the legendary Warsword uncovers a truth he can’t ignore: their bond is deeper, darker, and more ancient than either of them ever understood.

To protect Wren, Torj will do anything.
Lie. Fight. Burn kingdoms to ash.
Even if it means losing her all over again.

Far from the frontlines, Wren is fighting her own battles. At Drevenor, the ancient academy where alchemists sharpen their craft, she wrestles with her place in a world that finally knows her name—as heir to a fallen kingdom, as a wielder of rare magic, and as the woman bound to a warrior she can’t let go of. But as new political forces rise and old enemies stir, loyalty becomes a razor’s edge, and Wren must choose between reclaiming her legacy… or protecting her heart.

Because her gift—wild, potent, and unpredictable—may be the very power capable of saving the midrealms…
or tearing them apart.

War is coming. Love is fragile. And the magic that binds Wren and Torj could be their salvation—or their undoing.

✨ Tropes: fated mates, second-chance tension, war-torn lovers, magical bond, warrior x alchemist, slow-burn longing
✨ For fans of: The Prison Healer, Throne of Glass, Carissa Broadbent, and sweeping romantasy epics
✨ Book 2 in The Ashes of Thezmarr series — a lush, high-stakes tale of ancient magic, burning loyalty, and a love tested by destiny
✨ Features a battle-scarred Warsword hiding a devastating truth, an alchemist discovering power she never imagined, warring realms, political intrigue, and a bond strong enough to fracture kingdoms

"Their magic bound them. Their love nearly broke them. Now it might save them—or set the realms on fire."