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Hundreds of years ago in Uranallee, a powerful wizard named Xyrene created a magical object out of azurian stone as his gift to the world that could grant the wishes of the user. After Xyrene’s death, the blue orb fell into many different hands—some well-intentioned and others not—before disappearing. When Jasmine, being chased by wolves, shows up at the wizard Zarcon’s castle, the wizard realizes that the object the young woman has stolen from a witch’s coven is the long-lost blue orb. Jasmine and Zarcon now must gather forces together and figure out a way to keep it out of the witches’ grasp once again before disaster strikes.
A classic adventure tale filled with magic, the story follows a band of individuals who have tasked themselves with keeping the realm safe from danger, even if it might cost them their lives. Because the blue orb is such a powerful artifact, Jasmine and company must also be wary not to fall into the trap of harnessing the power for themselves or for the wrong reasons.
The author does a great job of balancing the ongoing action with more introspective moments and historical background on characters in a way that doesn’t slow down the story. Magic is, of course, at the forefront, both in the rich history and involvement with the orb as well as the shaping of the realm. Xyrene’s creation essentially amplifies the user’s desires but at the cost of one’s life force. Through the characters of the witches and past users of the orb, messages of power in the hands of good or evil resonate strongly throughout the book.