Review 

A Touch of Iron 

          by Karina Espinosa

Ansel had loved his older brother growing up but when Alec chose the Unseelie Court and turned from his family, he believed that Alec had chosen a darker path. Losing all trust in his brother’s ability to care for anyone but himself. Ansel became convinced only he could save Violet and that his brother was only looking to gain favor with the King and would bring harm to her. He blindly followed the Queen’s plans for bringing Violet to the Seelie Court.

 

Betrayed! Ansel had delivered my mom to the Unseelie court and was now under the powerful control of the King. She loved her mom and would find a way to protect her at any cost.  In this, she and Alec were much alike. While she now felt it would be impossible to ever forgive Ansel for this betrayal against her only family. The King would try to use her mom against Violet to gain what he wanted, to control her power as the last dragon. But he didn’t know Violet. He demanded to know who Violet’s father was, and this was just one more step toward reaching that goal as well. Kazimir would recognize her, and she feared how he would react, if it was revealed that he had fathered her. She had to act fast and stand her ground.

 Alec had secrets too and the King held the key to those, so if he thought Alec was crossing him, Alec’s family might pay. For him, his family had always come first but he soon realized he was coming to care for Violet more than he ever thought possible. For two centuries, he had lived in the Unseelie Court and danced to the King’s tune. But times were changing. There were those who would see the King and Queen’s reign end and they would use the last dragon to get what they wanted.  Violet too, would soon learn there were some unexpected allies, with their own agenda, that would quietly come to her aid, for a price.  

  Now that the King had Tessa in his Court, he would challenge Violet. He fell back on an old law long discarded by the Fae which could still be called forth when needed.  Without a family name, the king held total control her Tessa. By refusing to name Kazimir as her father, she couldn’t produce a family name and so couldn’t protect her mom. In order to claim a family name for herself she must face a human trial, that could make use of the five human sufferings. She would have to face at least one or more in the world of Fae. Alec feared for life and tried to talk her out of agreeing. But Violet stood her ground, she would face whatever the King threw at her and come out on the other side. After all she had learned air, fire and even a bit of earth elements. She would face her trial in the Air Village her only mentor Calypso, the leader there. Violet could use only her power over air. In addition she would also be given a potion that would cause her to temporarily lose her memories,  including her own identity. She would wear an iron bracelet to inhibit her other powers coming to her aid as well.

 And no one could interfere with her trial. And so, it begins.

 

Legend has it that the last dragon would bring changes to the world of the Fae. But Violet was having a difficult time trusting anyone in this magical world where lies, inuendoes, and threats flowed freely. In the middle of the trials, challenges and threats to her life, Violet realizes there is only one person she can truly trust and love. Violet, Ansel and Alec’s tale has been building to this splendid conclusion with all three characters finding that nothing is as it has previously appeared. As they share adventures, face adversity and the intrigue of those in power, they change, adjusting their understanding of things happening around them. Secrets slowly start coming to light. Some of this in sight will alter the way they see and feel about each other. Joining forces with Fae seeking to change their world, brings danger and love to the foreground.

 Karina Espinosa has brought the world of Fae to life through her vivid imagination, full of mystery, intrigue, misadventures, secrets, love and heartbreak. She gave us a grand finale to the story she started with ”Hint of Delirium” but I for one will keep my fingers crossed that at some point she will revisit her world of Fae and share stories about some of the other mesmerizing characters with whom we had such a short introduction.