Where peace is lost, may we find it.
Where peace is broken, may we mend it.
Where we go, may peace follow.
Where we fall, may peace rise.
This was the mantra of Kel Garda's life during the war. It's a credo she takes seriously even now that the war has ended. Kel has been living a very quiet life and keeping her head down on a backwater planet on the edges of the Pale empire since the end of the war. And that's the way she wants it. Her hard-won peace is broken when a dormant war machine, left behind by the Pale, reactivates and threatens the livelihood of the planet. And when her young friend, Lunna, volunteers as guide for the two mercenaries who have offered to deactivate the dangerous machine, Kel finds herself a reluctant volunteer tasked with keeping Lunna and the planet, that gave her refuge, safe.
There's plenty of action in their journey across a swampy, dangerous landscape. And I loved that. But I also loved the thoughtful exploration of what it means to be a survivor of a war and how to navigate violence while also doing the least amount of harm. Kel's internal journey was just as intriguing as the physical one. With the way the book ended I have some hope that there will be a sequel with Kel. If there is, I will be first in line.