Blood on the Sand

The rousing sequel to Ezell’s Magelight, this romantic ménage à quatre fantasy takes recently jilted Aelys and her three burly protectors to Zandrine, where she hopes to escape her stifling heritage and polish her newly minted powers as a magic-wielding Bellatrix. The spell that once bound this band of characters together has broken, leaving emotional and sexual entanglements up in the air: former forester Daen grumpily nurses the mistaken conviction that Aelys doesn’t want them as badly as they desire her; Vik, a not-so-reformed thief, tenderly yearns to be back under the spell, able to send energy into Aelys and receive it back through the bond; and Romik, a fierce warrior, still adores Aelys but fears going to Zandrine, site of the upcoming Imperial Games, where he may be forced to enter the arena again. With new men falling under her spell and an emperor to save from malignant rebels, Aelys learns to enjoy her reverse-harem arrangement. Colorful scene-setting backdrops the well-defined and sympathetic characters and their intricate loves, some of which are here finally fulfilled. Series fans will not be disappointed. (Apr.)