Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice … I’ll never trust the same again.

Not after I was finally beginning to let him in.

I have enough on my plate with The Sanctum, their Institute Games, and generally trying to stay alive. I certainly don’t need to be worried about a shameless golden retriever, a silent enigma, or a guardian asshole.

My magic doesn’t haunt me like it once did, but it should now The Sanctum aren’t the only ones intent on using me as a weapon. Every turn I take is warped with secrets that unravel, only to reveal another layer of unwanted surprise.

I’m walking a fine line between death and… death.

Everywhere I turn, someone is trying to take something from me. Well, I have nothing left to give. All I have is me, myself, and I.

Elodie Blackwood.

Loner. Survivor. Scythe.

You know how I said I wanted answers to my questions when I reviewed the second book. I take that back now. I was given answers, but honestly,  it just left me more confused. Reading this book turned out to be the solace I desperately needed. I had a very severe episode, so severe that my boss left me in the office kitchen to take a nap! My vision completely blurred, and I lost my balance. Luckily, it didn’t trigger my vertigo, but it was a very bad episode and has left me completely exhausted. I’m lucky my brain had enough left to be able to process the reading of this book.

Today is the hottest day in the UK thus far in 2026. So, of course, I am wearing all black and baking alive. I feel like this book sent me from lazily floating down calm rapids to hurtling for a crash landing on an aeroplane. It took such a twist that it wasn’t even on my radar, and even as I made sense of what was happening, I wondered if such a turn was necessary or where exactly it fit into the wider plot. I think because the turn was so sudden and came with high stakes, it made me feel a little like I’d been blindsided. Almost like the author was saying, ‘I know you wanted answers, but here, have a curveball instead.

Elodie – Elodie is a very complex character. I knew that at the start of the series, but she has grown in complexity as the series has progressed, and the person she was in book one is not the same person I see in book 3. There is a deeper level of understanding regarding emotional and romantic entanglements. Elodie is discovering more about herself, but it’s problematic because she has no one to guide her. She is walking into the darkness blind. I so want to understand exactly what she is. She takes a fair few hits in this book, and realistically, she wouldn’t have got up after the first, but this is a fantasy world, and the characters here have a very large dose of resilience running through their veins. She does have an uncanny ability to continually rise to her feet in the face of danger and challenges. I think, with the way the ending was revealed, she is in for another set of reveals in her life but I hope that they give closure to both the character and the reader.

Rion – It didn’t realise how much this series needed this golden retriever were man. He is a breath of fresh air in an environment that is otherwise chaotic and obsessive in its interactions. Rion is no less possessive or prone to jealousy than the others; he just has a better understanding of what Elodie needs and what will make her feel safe and loved. Which, bear in mind, is a novel concept to Elodie. Rion is her safety net, and watching him adapt to her gives me warm, fuzzy feelings. As a character, Rion puts Elodie first; everything he feels and deals with comes secondary. In this book, there is a shift in his feelings for Elodie, and while she struggles to understand how someone like Rion could fall so hard for her, his willingness to support her while also giving her the space to grow and evolve is gratifying.

Thorne – This man, this fae, continues to be an enigma. He throws around his prophecy like it should make sense – it doesn’t – and his hot and cold attitude towards Elodie is at times infuriating. Elodie remarks on his attitude several times through this book, but it doesn’t seem to have made things any clearer in his mind. We learnt in book 2 the reason for Thorne’s distant behaviour towards Elodie, but honestly, I don’t know enough about the past history of Scythes in general to form an opinion either way. He does seem committed to protecting Elodie from outside forces, but his feelings for her remain uncertain. Oh, but the ending, the unexpected twist of emotions, the turn of the plot. I relished it, honestly, I wasn’t looking for it, and it made it all the sweeter.

Kael – Oh man. Kael, Kael, Kael. What to do with you! I could deal with the possessive bastard, but I’m struggling here. This is more than a total 180; this is like a U-turn on a four-lane motorway. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I can’t decide whether this character turn is a good thing or whether it has come out of left field with no context. I am confused. Okay, so context was given by the time I reached the end of the book. I still don’t know how I feel about Kael as a character. I will need to see what he is like in the next book to decide whether he is a positive or negative addition to the series.

Ocean – We should all have a friend like Ocean. The ride or die friend you can always rely on. She’s a powerhouse of a character wrapped up in sweetness and an overwhelming sense of loyalty. Even when she is tested, she doesn’t falter; she picks herself up and works towards the bigger goal. Her presence in Elodie’s life brings new meaning and allows Elodie’s character to emotionally evolve away from romantic feelings toward men. I think Ocean provides a sense of family that Elodie can trust and be confident in, knowing she won’t be led astray.

Jude – I dislike Jude more than Kael, but I have to say that, realistically, this is because I know so little about him. I don’t know what his motives are, I don’t know what his goal is, I don’t know why he acts as he does. There are too many unknown variables for me to form a complete opinion about him. However, from Elodie’s point of view, I can see Jude in a negative light from his actions towards her. I am also very confused about the situation and want to learn more. I do feel like the author was hinting that Jude’s purpose may not be as negative as some people think, but again, I don’t have all the facts.