The Book of Azrael

Liam’s relentless questioning forces Dianna to relive the events leading to her capture. After Zekiel’s death, she confronted Kaden about his deception regarding The Hand, an organization she had believed was nothing more than a myth. Kaden, enraged by her actions, blamed her for jeopardizing his plans by killing a Hand member and warned that her actions had likely put Gabby in danger.

Determined to protect Gabby, Dianna insisted that she relocate to a safe house. However, Gabby resisted, arguing that living in constant fear and upheaval was no way to live. She accused Dianna of losing her humanity and becoming a monster, which strained their once-close bond. Despite the tension, Dianna pressed on, joining Tobias and Alistair in a risky plan to infiltrate The Hand. Disguised as a mortal member of the organization, Dianna secretly armed herself with a forsaken blade.

In the present, Kaden, speaking through Alistair (who is himself disguised as Peter), coldly informs Dianna that her imprisonment resulted from her own reckless choices and that he will not come to save her.

Logan and his team transport Dianna to the Silver City. She antagonizes Logan throughout the trip but eventually falls asleep from exhaustion. She wakes up to chaos as a monstrous creature attacks the convoy; in her weakened state, she passes out in the middle of the attack.

The novel backtracks to shortly before the attack when Liam meets The Hand to strategize. Vincent rebukes him for keeping Dianna alive, accusing him of hypocrisy and leadership failure. Frustrated, Liam orders Dianna’s transfer to the Silver City, as he is uncomfortable leaving The Hand to deal with such a dangerous captive. Liam admits that his capture of Dianna was precarious. He debates using Oblivion, a deadly blade that not only kills but also erases the soul’s chance at an afterlife, but he decides that it should only be used as a last resort.

Dianna wakes up to find Tobias tending to her; she is severely weakened after going without sustenance during her captivity with the celestials. Meanwhile, Logan, who has been captured, confronts Alistair about the ambush, only to learn that spies within The Hand were responsible. Dianna drinks Logan’s blood, gaining fragments of his memories, but finds no clues about the book.

When Alistair attempts to turn Logan into a puppet, Logan, in desperation, tries to die by suicide. Dianna intervenes when Logan’s final thoughts move her—centered on his deep love for his wife. She kills Alistair using his own blade. During the chaos, Tobias transforms and escapes.

Realizing Gabby’s imminent danger, Dianna swiftly cauterizes Logan’s wounds and transports them both to Silver City.

Dianna and Logan arrive at a banquet in Silver City via a portal, and their sudden appearance throws the room into chaos. The Hand, poised to strike Dianna, hesitates when she seizes Logan as a hostage. After a tense standoff, Dianna proposes a deal: She will help eliminate Kaden in exchange for protection for Gabby.

Liam reluctantly agrees, and Dianna insists on sealing the pact with a magical blood contract. During the ritual, the exchange of blood grants Dianna a glimpse into Liam’s memories—a harrowing battlefield strewn with countless bodies. Once the ritual concludes, a scar forms on each of their palms, marking their pact.

Neverra escorts the severely injured Logan to a healer.

Dianna reveals the extent of Alistair’s powers, which had enabled the Ig’Morruthens to infiltrate The Hand with numerous spies. She assures Liam that, with Alistair’s death, all of those spies are dead.

Dianna describes Kaden and shares parts of her past. She reveals that she is from the lost civilization of Eoria, which was destroyed by a virus after Rashearim collapsed into Eoria. Kaden, she explains, tried to create more Ig’Morruthens like her but failed. Instead, his experiments produced Irvikuva, winged beasts that obey his commands.

Dianna explains that Kaden’s ultimate goal is to find the Book of Azrael. However, Liam dismisses her claims, insisting that no such book exists. He reveals that he once knew Azrael, the creator of The Hand’s rings, but says that he assumes that Azrael perished during the Gods War.

Tensions rise as Liam plans Gabby’s retrieval, rejecting Dianna’s insistence on joining him. He orders her to be cuffed and detained under Vincent’s watch.

At a secluded resort, Liam tracks down Gabby, but she stabs him with a forsaken blade. Moments later, shades—smoky, shadow-like creatures—descend upon them. Liam fends off the shades, urging Gabby to hide and protect herself. During the chaos, a shade injures Gabby, triggering a searing pain that flashes through the scars on both Liam’s and Dianna’s hands.

Determined to save her, Liam rescues Gabby, and they flee the hotel. Hillmun, the conjurer of the shades, interrupts their escape, blocks their path, and demands Gabby. A tense standoff ensues, but just as Hillmun is about to act, a sudden inferno engulfs him and his shades. Dianna, escaped from her imprisonment, emerges from the flames.

Dianna confronts Liam over his decision to exclude her from Gabby’s rescue mission, enraged that the shades injured Gabby. She reconciles with Gabby, but they argue over Dianna’s sacrifices. After a tense debate, Dianna and Liam form a fragile alliance. They escort Gabby to a safe apartment, and the sisters commiserate while Dianna admits her misery under Kaden’s control. Meanwhile, Liam summons Dianna for a meeting, during which she provides intelligence about Kaden’s forces but feels increasingly trapped by her alliance with The Hand.

Suspicious of surveillance, Dianna searches Gabby’s apartment, sharing her plans to find Kaden’s dissenters and the Book of Azrael. Gabby, frustrated by the risks, urges caution. Liam arrives with Neverra, assigning her and Logan to protect Gabby. Dianna hugs Gabby goodbye and departs with Liam.

Dianna decides to reach out to Nym, a fashion designer who doubles as an informant and ID broker. She hopes that Nym has leads on Sophie—a witch who might be able to help them. Before heading out, Dianna warns Liam about the dangers of technology, cautioning him about the numerous ways that Kaden could track their movements.

Nym greets Dianna and Liam warmly, offers coffee, prepares their supplies, and shares Sophie’s location. Trusting Nym’s assistance, Dianna and Liam set off to find Sophie.

When they arrive at Sophie’s house, the witch appears cooperative. Secretly, however, Sophie has conspired with Kaden. She strikes Dianna with a poisoned crossbow bolt, the toxin enhanced by a second dose that Nym secretly slipped into Dianna’s coffee. Liam swiftly kills Sophie and removes the poisoned arrow. Despite his desperate attempts to save Dianna, the combined effects of the toxins overwhelm her, and she collapses into unconsciousness.

In her dreams, Dianna finds herself immersed in Liam’s memories. To her dismay, she realizes that, out of concern for her condition, Liam must have fed her his blood. Frustrated, she watches as Liam, now Samkiel, shares an intimate moment with Imogen. Their interaction is interrupted by Logan, who announces that Samkiel’s father, Unir, is on his way.

When Unir arrives, a heated argument ensues. Unir chastises Samkiel for his close relationship with the celestials, whom Unir views as mere servants and warriors for the gods. He insists that Samkiel embrace his destiny and take over as ruler, but Samkiel rejects the role. He counters that the crown should rightfully pass to a goddess called Nismera. Unir dismisses this suggestion, stating that Nismera forfeited her claim when Samkiel was born.

The conversation shifts to Samkiel’s mother, Adelphia, a celestial who died shortly after his birth. Samkiel is unique among Unir’s children, being the only one born of another party rather than solely created by Unir. Samkiel questions why Unir did not bring Adelphia back to life. Unir responds that resurrection is forbidden and exacts an immense cost.

Dianna wakes to find Liam by her side, and they quickly argue. She reveals that her power enables her to see memories through blood, prompting Liam to question why the visions began only now rather than immediately after their first blood exchange. Frustrated but curious, Liam informs her that Sophie is dead, while Nym is alive but currently detained.

Their conversation shifts to Dianna’s powers, and she explains that she never received blood from Kaden, leading Liam to speculate that he was hiding something from her. When Liam presses her about the memories she witnessed, Dianna lies, claiming that she could not make sense of the conversation between Samkiel and Unir.

Liam voices his frustration with Dianna’s “friends,” deeming them unreliable and urging the need for a more structured plan. Dianna proposes contacting one last trusted ally but extracts a promise from Liam to keep her friend’s identity and location a secret. She also makes him vow not to assume the role of an enforcer to ensure her friend’s safety and cooperation.

Dianna and Liam bicker on their way to Zarall, their tension simmering below the surface. During a stop at a gas station, ostensibly for snacks, Dianna takes the opportunity to meet with Reissa, a spider-like Otherworlder who runs the shop. Threatening Reissa and her sons, Dianna pressures her for assistance in navigating El Donuma, a territory controlled by Camilla, a witch with a deep grudge against Dianna. Reluctantly, Reissa provides contact information for someone who can help them safely pass through.

Back on the road, Liam eventually falls asleep. Seizing the opportunity, Dianna calls Gabby, who updates her on her new role in the celestials’ medical wing. Concerned for Dianna’s well-being, Gabby persuades her to take a break. Dianna pulls into a motel.

Liam dreams of his past, vividly reliving his father’s training and criticism as well as his own crushing guilt over his mother’s death. He awakens from the nightmare in a panic, discovering the hotel room in shambles and Dianna injured. After painstakingly repairing the room and tending to her wounds, Liam opens up about his struggles with recurring nightmares and the isolation they cause. He confesses that his efforts to avoid sleep—and the destruction his nightmares bring—are ultimately futile.

In response, Dianna proposes a tentative friendship to help him cope and share some of his burdens. Their conversation grows deeper, revealing painful truths. Dianna learns about the abuse that Vincent suffered at the hands of Liam’s half-sister, Nismera, which left Vincent distrustful of power and authority. Liam speaks of his efforts to restore Rashearim. He admits to piecing together what remained, including a city and a few surviving Hand members.

When Dianna admits that she did not kill Zekiel as she previously claimed, Liam’s reaction is uncharacteristically emotional—a flash of pain for the first time in centuries. Despite the tension, their conversation concludes on a fragile note of mutual understanding. For the first time in centuries, Liam surrenders to a dreamless sleep.