«Path of Blood» by Diana Francis

The fierce healer and guardian Reisil journeys with her goshawk to a realm of dark sorcery in the final battle of an epic fantasy trilogy.Guardian priestess Reisil of the ahalad-kaaslane thought she had destroyed the stronghold of the Patverseme wizards, whose dark sorcery is wreaking havoc on all realms—but they were not so easily defeated. The plague decimating the population of Kodu Riik in Path of Honor continues with increasing destruction. Meanwhile, armies of the power-mongering Aare go on a murderous rampage in an attempt to usurp the throne. In doing so, they pit family members against one another, and sorcerers against the ahalad-kaaslane.In order to save her people from the worst of all fates—obliteration—Reisil must outsmart the unrelenting wizards and render them powerless. Key to her success will be deciphering the mysterious wizard runes and, in turn, healing an ever-widening rift between two worlds.Accompanied by her telepathic goshawk, Saljane, and her loyal lover, Yohuac, Reisil travels across a war-ravaged land and into an alternate realm. Only there can this strong heroine ascertain the form of magic needed to solve the problems that threaten existence as she knows it. Will Reisil choose the right path despite impossible odds and crippling self-doubt or will her destructive impulses and the dark will of the gods have irreversible consequences?An intimate story of a strong female character and her profound bond with her animal companion—as well as a gripping saga of good versus evil—Path of Blood is a thrilling conclusion to acclaimed author Diana Pharaoh Francis’s epic fantasy trilogy.