Ironcrown Moon: Julian May

Book II of Boreal Moon. King Conrig Ironcrown now rules the entire island kingdom of High Blenholme. But the peace he achieved by ruthlessly uniting its four quarreling kingdoms into a Sovereignty is about to be challenged. It's rumoured that his vengeful first wife Maudrayne, believed to have committed suicide, is alive and about to reveal a secret that will cost Conrig his throne. The ambitious sorcerer Beynor and his crony, Conrig's traitorous alchymist Kilian have stolen a trove of currently inactive moonstones capable of drawing tremendous power from the mysterious supernatural Beaconfolk. After initiating a civil war, the pair intend to take the throne and rule the realm themselves. The King's unlikely champion is his royal intelligencer, Deveron, a young man secretly possessed of magical talents. But Deveron is torn between loyalty to his king and his own conscience. Cover art by Dominic Harman.