The Ordeals - Rachel Greenlaw

A Waterstones' Best Romantasy Book of 2025. Read now and order the second book in this addictive duology, The Divines. 'A quite creepy atmosphere and Buffy-esque vampire slaying into the mix' 5 star reader review. 'The magic system is captivating, and the ending will leave you yearning for the second book' The Express. 'A rich romantasy ideal for fans of dark academia' The Mirror. 'Sizzling and addictive romantasy' Sunday Post. 'I absolutely treasured it from beginning to end' Cecelia Ahern, Sunday Times Number One bestseller on The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells. Old Magic. New power. A contest to die for. Sophia DeWinter has been bound to her cruel uncle, the Collector since he exacted a blood bond from her as a child. When she learns of Killmarth, an elite academy for magic wielders outside of the Collector's control, she grabs it as her only chance to break free. Each hopeful must prove their worth by competing in brutal and deadly challenges - the Ordeals. And that's just the beginning, because hopefuls are also being viciously picked off one-by-one. To survive, Sophia could team up with another challenger. Perhaps the powerful wielder Alden Locke. But how to identify an ally from a rival? Or even a murderer? In her haste to escape the Collector's power over her, has Sophia risked everything only to run from the flames and into the fire?