The Prince’s Mage by Celeste Baxendell (Runes of Pain and Peace Book 2)

Marcella is still a prisoner in the place she fears the most. Her orders have changed: bring a prince back to the clan, and peace might be accomplished. But the prince who wants peace and would be willing to go with her is as worthless to his people as she is to hers. All she wants to do is tell him she loves him, but will he forgive her the lies she has to tell?

Gavril’s one aim was to bring peace, but he’s given that all up to save his wife. The nations can burn for all he cares after what they’ve done to her. But will he be able to tell her the truth before it’s too late? Or will he lose her and his hope of peace?

“You have been my hope for peace since the beginning, but more than that you have been my hope of love returned.”

Where to begin? Everything about this book was amazing. The heartbreak between Gavril and Marcella as they grew closer was the perfect continuation of their love story. Their dilemmas in wanting to protect the other while also desperate for a peace between their peoples.

This was the perfect conclusion of The Prince’s Captive,  and the epilogue promised something I’ve been hoping for since the end of the first book.

5 Roses.
A few in-world swears, nothing major. There are in-world slurs implying certain things about the female prisoner.
Swoony kisses between a married couple.
Injuries, but not dwelt on in any gory detail. Minor scenes of torture; implications of abuse.

(Thank you to the author for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review.)