Spark of the Everflame

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of child death and sexual content.

The novel opens in the fantastical world of Emarion, where 20-year-old Diem Bellator is reflecting on the day that her mother, Auralie Bellator, disappeared.

Diem lives just outside of Mortal City with her mother; her father, Andrei; and her brother, Teller. On Forging Day, she walks with her fellow healer, Maura, who anticipates a busy night in the healers’ center because of the holiday. Forging Day celebrates a day that occurred millennia ago, when nine gods—known as the Kindred—sought refuge in Emarion and fell in love with mortal citizens. The Kindred made a magical pact—the Forging spell—so that they could stay on Earth with their mortal lovers. The spell divided Emarion into nine realms that are now ruled by the Kindred’s children—the Descended. As Diem and Maura head to the healers’ century, they also worry that the blood sun is a bad omen; years ago, a similar sun foreshadowed the Blood War.

After parting ways with Maura, Diem heads home and tries avoiding the raucous, drunken men in the streets. When some of these men begin harassing her, she remembers her warrior father’s training and defends herself.