The whispers of prophecy culminate and a new legend ignites in “The Echo of Divinity,” Book One of The Runebound Chronicles. Here, we meet Nyxara Astrailis, a young woman raised as a Null, whose life is irrevocably shattered when her Mandatory Testing reveals an unprecedented power – and an inescapable, dangerous destiny.
A Destiny Unfurled in Blood
On her twenty-first birthday, Nyxara faces the dreaded Mandatory Testing in the Imperial Heart. Instead of being confirmed as a Null, the Sacred Tears of the Gods erupt, burning twelve divine runes onto her skin – an unheard-of connection to the entire pantheon, including Gaia, Zeus, Pele, Poseidon, and Hades. This immense power marks her as the prophesied child King Tiberius obsessively hunts. In the chaos, the ancient Elder Elric makes a brutal choice to protect her secret, murdering the High Priest and using blood magic to conceal four of her most revealing runes. Thrust into a world of lies and danger, Nyxara is no longer a simple village girl but a living weapon, her true potential a deadly secret.
Runestone’s Gilded Cage:
Spirited away to Runestone Academy, Nyxara is placed in the elite Veiled Bloom tower, a residence for the most powerful students. Here, she encounters the Four Winds – the formidable princes Kael Ignus (Fire), Ren Seaborn (Water), Zephyros Aerlion (Air), and Terrean Rockwell (Earth) – whose own destinies are rumored to be tied to the kingdom’s future. She also meets the enigmatic Caspian Thorne, a Null-born artist with a shadowed past and a surprising connection to Elder Elric. Almost immediately, Nyxara becomes a target. Assassination attempts, including a sabotaged room rigged to ignite with her fire magic and a near-fatal poisoning with Serpent’s Kiss, reveal that enemies are already moving against her from within the Academy’s supposedly secure walls.
Whispers of the Soul:
Amidst the danger, unexpected connections form. Nyxara discovers she is soul-tied to Caspian Thorne, a rare and profound bond that amplifies his latent abilities and ties their fates together. Her own familiar, Ellie – an ancient and witty shadow panther/woman – manifests, offering guidance and protection. These bonds become lifelines as Nyxara navigates the treacherous currents of Academy politics, the princes’ volatile attentions, and the mystery of her blocked powers. Her childhood friend, Elara Vanya, also appears at the Academy under suspicious circumstances, her knowledge of Nyxara’s situation raising more questions than comfort.
The Serpent Strikes: Unmasking the True Threat
Caspian, undertaking a perilous mission to Riverbend to uncover the source of Nyxara’s poison, pays a heavy personal price to learn that the Serpent’s Coil, a shadowy organization, is involved, with links to the King’s Advisor Valerius and Runestone’s own High Curator Lysandra Moss. The confrontation is inevitable. Moss, revealed as a Coil operative, attacks Nyxara and the princes with a soul-hunter dagger. In a desperate battle, Caspian, his power amplified by the soul bond, manages to kill Moss. This act forces Nyxara, Caspian, and the Princes to flee Runestone Academy, their escape facilitated by the reappearance of Elder Elric, who reveals a stunning truth: who he really is!
Nyxara’s journey in “The Echo of Divinity” is a breathtaking plunge into a world of magic, danger, and emerging power. With her destiny unveiled and enemies closing in, her fight for survival – and for the soul of Veridia – has only just begun.
Ready to join Nyxara on her perilous journey? Grab your copy of “The Echo of Divinity” and explore more about The Runebound Chronicles at https://rheanight.com!
