When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty’s resentment and anger.

At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfil their own secret missions.

Long detailed summary-

The story is told by the two main characters, mainly alternating points of view.

It starts with the main character, Kazi, going through a valley with her group, Natiya, Synove, Wren, and Griz.It is explained they are a special group of the queen’s guard.

Kazi reveals that she was once a very accomplished thief that lived on the streets before the queen recruited her. Her group splits up, Kazi, Wren and Synove go to a nearby settlement to check on the settlers. To also go on a mission that is later explained as to capture a fugitive captain.  There they see some destruction and ask what happened. They say it was the Ballengers from the nearby village, Hell’s Mouth. 

Kazi and group go to the village to investigate. There she sees oranges and starts juggling and sneakily steals one. While talking to a fellow settler, she is interrupted by another character who she then threatens and belittles. He is confident but backs down. The settlers then inform her that it was the reigning leader of the local group, Jase Ballenger. Kazi is confused because she imagined an older man, not knowing he recently died. She follows him but when she does, she finds him bound by labor hunters(slavers). She tries to use her authority to free him but gets captured instead. 

She wakes in a wagon along with Jase and other victims. Everyone is chained but only Jase and Kazi are chained together. Kazi then tells the driver she must go have a pee break, the driver refuses and Kazi trades a riddle for a break. The driver tries to answer but can’t, he stops and demands an answer. Kazi says after her break and they argue. She stealthily steals the keys to the chains and starts to unlock  her hand chains and then gives the keys to Jase, others then want the keys. This commotion alerts the driver and then he investigates, many try to escape including Jase and Kazi but they are still chained together and the keys are lost. They find the keys and run, they fall down a hill and end up in the river. In the struggle, Kazi loses the keys.  They are stuck together and Jase helps Kazi relax and float down the river. They find a spot to stop and Kazi relies on Jase to get them to the nearest place to be free, which happens to be one of her kingdom’s settlements. 

They have no shoes and no provisions but set off. They walk for several days and become friendly. One morning, there is a wild animal and Jase protects her. Kazi tells him about a plant that they can eat and can also help with the injuries from the chains on their ankles. As the days pass, they talk a lot about their histories, culture and family. Kazi lies about her family and Jase suspects it but says nothing. They start to become romantic but they know their time will end.

He lied and they arrive at Tor’s Watch, which is where the Ballenger family reside and where Kazi secretly needed to go to search for the fugitive. One of them insists they have Kazi’s friends in custody. They immediately head to the funeral of his father and they must act as a united front. The Ballengars claim to an enemy, Paxton, Kazi is there because the queen was coming to recognize their authority and territory. This rumor spreads throughout the town.  

The Ballengers discuss what to do and decide to have Kazi write a letter to the queen asking her to come. Jase and Kazi fight about the deception but they resolve it since they have feelings for each other. Kazi meets the family and they are curious about their relationship but Kazi is vague about it.

Kazi recalls a story about stealing a tiger which she did successfully and mentioned how patience was important. Kazi meets with some of the members of the Ballengers and demands to see her friends but instead one shows her a pair of ears. They want her to write a letter to the queen requesting her to visit, she agrees but only when adding small hidden details only for the queen. She also demands they rebuild the settlement for the settlers. Everyone reluctantly agrees. Later Jase reveals that the ears were not her friends and they do not have them.

Jase is hesitant to trust her but needs to make a united appearance in town. They go into town and look around. Jase tells them how the Ballenger family once split apart because an old relative lost control of the village during a drunken card game.  Kazi ends up noticing Wren and Synove following them. Kazi slips away  and they discuss what has happened. Jase realizes it and  has his men capture the girls, and they have a concealed fight/argument (in front of the villagers) where Kazi threatens to make a scene if he does not release them. 

They are all invited to a big family party. Kazi has been injured by dogs when she went searching for the missing captain. Kazi reveals that one Jase’s men knew her from when she was a thief. Since it was a long time ago, Synove and Wren are sure that he cannot recognize her. Wren gets her some medicine which makes her sleep for a couple of hours. Dresses have arrived for the party and Kazi convinces Wren to wear the pink one because she knows that Wren likes soft things. 

Jase talks with an ambassador who he makes a deal with about trades. He also mentions a man that develops weapons and fever cure. Jase then leaves to go to the party. He mentions the man is wanted by kingdoms and can not go to the party.

At the party Jase does his duty meeting many people including the seer who gives me a warning/ prophecy. He reassures her. Kazi and the girls go to the party and enjoy the night eating many delicious foods. Synove and Wren go to dance since Kazi is hurting. She instead tries to go searching in an office but finds nothing. She meets Jase outside and he confesses that he wants to kiss her and while she knows there is no future she also confesses she wants to as well. They kiss and then he tries to get her to dance and then notices her limping. She says it is due to her shoes and he tries to take them off only to notice her bandages. He gets angry and calls for healers and others. She confesses it was the dogs and family members mention how she wanted to go see their vault. The healer says the dogs were poisonous and she is helped. Jase takes her back to the room and goes searching for where she went. He finds the dogs and they were a present from a trader who they once helped. The vault hadn’t been touched and believed she was too impatient to wait for a tour. He goes back and holds her as she sleeps. 

The next day, Kazi is worried about how Jase will react, but instead he invites her to the vault. He takes her to the vault which is just an old living area that held the original Ballengers safe during a time after a major world event. The members thought it was important to write everything and since they burned any source for fuel, they wrote on the walls. The walls in each room of the vault was covered in sentences. He wanted her to know their history. They leave and she notices a door. Jase said that is a possible way out so they are never trapped. 

Jase and other Ballengers held up their end of the deal and a large party including Kazi and friends, went to help the settlers. First they go to the old settlement and tell them they are being relocated. A kid, Kerry, hits Jase in the knee and Jase tells him that the kid will personally help Jase dig fence poles. The Ballengers notice the destruction done and insist they only took some animals. Kazi helps the settlers pack up and notices Jase and others on a hill around a group of stones. It is known from past letters from the oldest Ballengers is that is where they had a rock memorial.

They go on their way and arrive at the new site. It is a nice land with good soil. It was an old spot Jase went as a child.  Jase is angered at the state of the old settlement and think that someone is trying to blame them for the destruction. He tells his men to find out what happened.  He works with Kerry to dig the fence poles and the kids inform him that he is one of the orphans and that he doesn’t know how to read, and doesn’t see the point. Jase speaks with Mason about the two parties and Mason mentions that Synove is an expert archer. One of the old settlers, Caemus,  comes by and mentions that they didn’t know about the burial site and Jase mentions it was a spot for an ancestor and it was mainly just tradition. They have a short talk about traditions. They have dinner but it is split between the Ballengers and the Vendans. Kazi tries to get the group to mix by encouraging some of them to talk to each other and eventually dances with Jase. They end the night alone together with a riddle Kazi has given Jase to solve.  Jase starts to think of other things the settlement needs and ends up spending several days there. A girl then calls Kazi “Ten” which was her nickname back home before she was queen’s guard. Kazi insists that the girl is mistaken but Jase overhears and asks about it. Kazi brushes it off. Later on they receive a message that a letter has arrived and they must return.

Kazi and Jase talk about the possible fallout from the king that had assigned the original settlement. Jase does not worry about it and thinks that the king won’t notice the difference and that the tax the Ballengers keep goes back into the village.  As Jase and others go on their way, Jase recalls seeing Mason and Synove intimate and was curious how it had  occurred. He continues to think of things they could add to the settlement including a teacher. 

Kazi, Wren and Synove were late to return back because Synove accidentally fell into horse dung and was cleaning herself up. Kazi recalls how she added details into the letter which would tell the queen of updates. As they ride up they think about how it will be to leave. They then notice raiders following Jase’s group with a caravan. 

Jase and others have noticed them and then first try to get the lead, Mason’s,  attention. That fails so they ride faster to catch them and a fight ensues with the raiders.  Jase is almost knocked from the caravan and gets dust and grit into his eyes as he fights one of the raiders. More raiders come but so does Kazi, she fights but gets knocked back by the large attackers. Jase tries to help but instead falls out of the wagon with one of the men. They fight and Jase wins. He grabs a horse and heads back to the wagon. Others are bringing their attackers down and Jase notices Kazi under an attacker and he is afraid she is hurt or worse, but she has survived. There were a total of 12 attackers and most were taken down by Kazi’s group leading to a new found respect from the Ballenger group. They decide to dump the bodies down a ravine so other traders  would not see the battle and be worried for their safety. They notice the men are clean and were probably waiting for their group. They also recognize one of the men as their sister’s lover. Jase then realized that his sister, Jalaine, had bragged about the queen and the message for them to come back. 

When they return, the mother Ballenger, Vairlyn, herds people where to go and while she insisted Jase needed to be seen by a healer, he insisted he had business to deal with. One of the twins was injured on his hand and Synove got a cut on her scalp. When they returned to the room, the servant handed them some food from the new cook that had a message for other food they might like including a special word that got them curious. They go to see the new cook and her husband, which turns out to be Natiya and Eben from their group. They discuss what has happened and their progress on their mission to find the missing captain. They discuss plans on other places to search which includes the arena where Jase is going the next day. 

Jase interrogates Jalaine about the man and says that it was a mistake to mention details and she also might have let it slip about the Ballengers taking the animals from the original settlement. He is angry with her and demands a list of everyone he might have been talking to. 

While waiting for dinner Kazi and her group talk about having hot running water. They also discuss the captain. Kazi then notices a man going into a cottage outside and suspects it might be him. Kazi goes to explore it and finds nothing. Kazi goes into her room and sees Jase inside going through drawers. First Kazi is nervous but then he reveals he needed a shirt and Kazi had stolen his room. Jase worries that Kazi is in too much with all the trouble the Ballenger family is having. Kazi then asks to join Jase at the arena, which Jase accepts and they head to dinner. Kazi then mentions seeing someone go into the cottage and Jase says it was a groundsman checking the cottage for the storm. Kazi sits near Jase at the head of the table. Kazi then reads the letter from the queen which is full of hidden messages. The Ballengers rejoice at the idea of the queen visiting. They eat dinner but Samuel has problems eating since his hand is injured. Wren then puts the soup into a mug to fix the problem. Jalaine who has been tense the entire dinner then leaves. Jase then reveals that Jalaine had known one of the men and it was the one that choked Kazi and she killed. 

Jase then goes to speaks to Beaufort and is mad he was seen. Beaufort had needed some supplies and tells Jase they are ready with the new weapon but not the fever cure. Jase then tries out the weapon and is pleased with it. It is described as a launcher that explodes  a target a couple hundred meters away. Though Beaufort argues, Jase then takes the weapon and some ammo with him. 

Getting ready to leave, Kazi talks with another sister, Priya. She talks about Jalaine and her lover and how she is in her room. She reveals some history of how the entire Ballenger family was once slaughtered but a servant saved a baby girl and put in the cottage. Jase then comes and they leave to go to the arena. Kazi and Jase talk about who the men might have been associated with. Jase talks to her about the arena and after they arrive, he leaves to do some business claiming he will find her later. She then roams around and looks at the vendors. She sees a jeweler selling a ring. After much insisting, the vendor gives the ring to her and she trades it with a riddle. She then runs into Paxton and he gives “advice” which may be taken as a threat. Then a man interrupts them and turns out it is the King. They make introductions and then Kazi leaves. She notices the king and Paxton exchange something and she makes a circle and then purposely runs into the king again to steal from him. Jase then joins Kazi and mentions how they have people watching the arena for trouble and knew that Kazi met the king and Paxton. They tour more of the arena together and a chill makes Kazi notice another building. They head over and inside she sees wagons with black stripes on their tarps. Jase says they are Previzi and Kazi then freaks out, she asks Jase questions about them and he explains that while they might not be legal they have important goods and they operate at the arena as their base. Kazi yells more asking if they had been there eleven years to which he confirms. She yells some more then runs away.  

Jase watches her leave and then runs into Paxton which he then punches. Others ask about his fight with Kazi and a plan to smooth it over with any rumors that might spread. Mason then mentions Wren was asking about a certain kind of medicine herb and wanted a very large amount. Garvin then mentions how he remembers Kazi as the thief in her past,when he noticed her steal from the king.  

Kazi and her group realize where the missing captain is and go search the tunnels. They find the captain and others that were assumed dead, including a man that killed Synove’s family. The men talk about how they will be rich and the last great battle will look like nothing.

Kazi and her group make a plan to capture them all including two other scholars. 

Jase finds Kazi and confronts her about her past. She reveals her past of how the man took her mother when she was six and the sad lengths she had to take to survive on the streets. 

Jase realizes who the man she is talking about and confronts him. He creates a situation where he can see Kazi and make a judgment of who the man is. He is the man, Zane, and Jase has his men torture him to get information. 

Kazi and her group including the undercover cooks use the herbs, as a sleeping draught, on the family during dinner and on the guards. At dinner, everyone is having a fine time and then eventually they start to get tired and leave. 

Kazi and her group then load up on weapons and sneak up on the missing men. They capture the 3 men and 2 scholars and leave. Then they burn the hut with all their research. As they try to leave, they are confronted by Jase and his family. Kazi realizes they faked it and they have a confrontation. 

Kazi tries to say that they are doing the queen’s work taking the fugitives back to face their crimes. One of Jase’s men then brings out Zane as an attempt to trade which makes Kazi upset. 

In the struggle Jase is captured by Kazi and is taken with them. They ride for hours with Kazi with a knife against him. Jase convinces the Ballengers that have followed them to go back and they do. 

The party travels for days and Kazi tells him of their crimes and boasts how they were using the Ballengers. Kazi tells Jase what the captain had done. Jase compares them to what Kazi has done. Kazi wastruly betrayed when she noticed Jase lied about Zane.  They pass the battlefield of the great war that the men are partly responsible for.  One of the scholars talk to Kazi and start to confess things including how they lied and could have never made medicine for the fever cure that had killed two of Jase’s siblings. Then he is pushed into some remains by of the other prisoners in an effort to get him to stop talking and is killed.  While Jase eats with the men, he talks to them, realizing he was played and then start fighting. He then fights with the others too. Synove often tells the man of horrible ways the queen will inflict on him. They meet up with the rest of the party of soldiers and briefly, one of the men looks relieved but then soon realize it is the queen’s men.They continue to travel and one day Synove lets one of the men free saying she will not kill him. She encourages him to run and he does. After giving him a bit of a start, she hits him with an arrow that had an animal blood bag attached to it. Birds that have been circling, swoop down and attack and kill the man.

After arriving in the kingdom, Jase wonders about the queen and why she can not travel. Kazi reveals that the queen had a miscarriage before and is on bedrest with her current pregnancy.

Jase is taken to a cell since he harbored the fugitives, and Kazi goes to talk to the queen. Jase demands to speak to the queen and is loud. First the king comes and tell him to wait, but then the queen arrives shortly thereafter, with Kazi lurking behind. She is suspicious of Jase and  asks about the history of the Ballengers. Jase is surprised but then tells her everything. The queen then decides to give Jase what he has wanted and make his land a kingdom. The queen says it may take years but it is possible and he is free to go to start drawing lines and paperwork. As he leaves, he looks at Kazi but she ignores him. The queen notices this and makes an amendment to her words saying that Jase must need an ambassador to the queen to make sure he behaves, to which she appoints Kazi. Kazi is surprised that the queen noticed the feelings as she only told the queen of her adventure without any romantic feelings. Jase professes his love for Kazi again and she is made ambassador. They start a trip to return back to Tor’s Watch and they are happy together.

In the last chapter a man is holding a dead bird that had a note written by Jalaine in a hurry, indicating the need of help.  He whispers to the bird and then throws the bird into the air and it flies away. 

My review- 3.5/ 5 stars

This was my first time writing a summary for a book, so I wrote as I read the story which might have led me to not enjoy the book as much. The story itself was nice but there was too much betrayal and lies between the main characters. There was too much miscommunication but they obvioudly still cared about each other. The main characters were just a bit flat for me and I enjoyed the side characters more. There is a sequel but I am in no hurry to read it.