In "The Drowned Woods" by Emily Lloyd-Jones, Mererid (Mer for short) was born with a rare ability to manipulate water and as such became the target of the prince who sought to bind her to his service.
After royal mercenaries kill her family, she is left with no one save the royal spymaster, Renfrew. He raises her to be not only a fighter but a survivor, which comes in handy when she runs away after discovering the horrifying results of the tasks she's performed for the prince.
Years later, she encounters Renfrew again. Renfrew has also left the employ of the palace and has a plan to steal the treasure that serves as the source of magic that keeps the prince in power. It's a plan that could destroy the prince and free the kingdom, all while potentially avoiding more war and bloodshed in their Welsh kingdom. Mer agrees and the pair set off to find the rest of their heist party.
Fane was not born with the ability he now possesses. His power was granted to him by the Otherfolk when he came to them seeking vengeance upon the men who killed his family.
The exchange of favors sounded simple to Fane's ears as a child: seven years of service to the Otherfolk for the seven lives of the men who took Fane's family from him. To aid him in his service to them, the Otherfolk have given him the ability to sense iron -- a substance they cannot abide in their woods as it interferes with their own magic. While the ability to sense iron is handy, the real power Fane has been granted is death. When triggered, the power will grant him superior fighting abilities that cannot be stopped until the target is deceased.
It's a power Fane has come to regret, but when approached by Mer and Renfrew with a plot to destroy the Prince's power, he agrees to join their crew.
Ifanna is the heiress to the Thieves Guild and Mer's former partner. There's no love lost between her family and the prince either, plus she loves a challenge, so when Mer turns up needing help to steal a particular key, Ifanna can't help but get involved. Crew thus assembled, the party embark on the heist of a lifetime -- one that could save a kingdom or destroy it.
This immersive stand-alone YA fantasy, set in ancient Wales, combines action, adventure, fairy magic and a corgi named Trefor. Mer and Fane are compelling characters, each with pasts they're trying to atone for, even as they seek retribution for the trauma visited upon them by those in power. Twists and turns abound, keeping readers on their toes and propelling the narrative forward. Rich in atmosphere and detail, "The Drowned Woods" satisfies on a number of levels.
Courtney Waters is the youth services manager at Missouri River Regional Library.