The Republic of Salt by Ariel Kaplan

In the aftermath of The Pomegranate Gate, The Republic of Salt opens with its cast scattered and wounded, both literally and emotionally. Toba Bet—the magically born half-Mazik twin created in the first book—grieves the death of her original self, who was killed by her own sister, Tsifra N’Dar, a deadly agent of their shared father, Tarses. As Toba hides in the mortal realm with Asmel, the Lord of Books, she chooses to exist as a flock of birds for days, slipping away from her humanity in fear and trauma. Asmel, who has removed his own magic (becoming mortal) and is slowly losing his memory and identity, pleads with her to return to human form so they can continue their journey north. 

Meanwhile, Barsilay b’Droer—the reluctant heir to the long-lost Mazik city of Luz—lies near death in the mountains, missing an arm and most of his magic. Alongside him are Naftaly, a mortal with unstable prophetic visions, and two older women, one of whom has suffered a stroke. With few supplies and fewer allies, their only hope is to reach Zayit, the independent city known as the Republic of Salt, before the full force of La Cacería—the Queen’s deadly secret police—comes for them.

As the group flees across dangerous terrain, Toba slowly regains her sense of self. She and Asmel grow closer, and she eventually sacrifices part of her own magic to slow the decay of his mind, though the gesture leaves her more vulnerable. Barsilay, Naftaly, and the women manage to steal Mazik horses and set off through the mountains, barely ahead of pursuit. Meanwhile, in the Mazik realm, Tsifra N’Dar begins to doubt her father’s cause. She’s haunted by dreams of Atalef, a terrifying demon now possessing the Queen of Sefarad’s confessor. Atalef has been sent to hunt down Toba, retrieve the ancient safira (a crystal containing Mazik magic and memory), and seize the killstone—a deadly artifact that can instantly kill anyone whose name is bound to it. Tsifra holds one of the safiras, and Toba may have access to the other. Tarses wants to use both to consolidate power, but Atalef has a different goal: to become more than a demon, to absorb Mazik magic and memory, and to wield the killstone himself.

In dreams and flashbacks, more history is revealed: the ancient order ha-Moh’to once swore to end monarchies by any means necessary, and Toba and Barsilay’s bloodlines connect directly to that forgotten legacy. Marah Ystehar, Barsilay’s aunt and Toba’s ancestor, sealed her magic into a safira after being trapped in the mortal world; now, that magic could unlock the killstone’s power, and with it, the ability to kill Tarses—or anyone else. Tsifra, deeply conflicted and increasingly horrified by what her father and Atalef represent, begins to contemplate treason. She saves Toba in a dream when she nearly falls into the void again, and the two sisters, once enemies, share a tenuous moment of understanding. They are both tools of men far more powerful and cruel—and both are searching for a way to escape that fate. So Toba leaves Asmel alone, with enough magic for him to get to where he needs to go safely, and the two sisters leave on their adventure. 

Barsilay and Naftaly grow closer together, and while they are traveling, they realize they are being followed by someone. Naftaly also triest to convince Barsilay that he would be a great king, adn that he should think about taking up the crown again. While sheltering in Zayit, he disguises himself as a mortal student and enrolls in classes at the medical college—ostensibly to blend in, but also because he’s genuinely interested in learning. He focuses on anatomy and medicinal theory, finding real purpose in the work and, notably, a desire to understand the body so he might one day help Naftaly. Her visions, while powerful, leave her physically wracked and mentally strained, and Barsilay becomes quietly obsessed with the idea that if he studies enough, he might be able to find a way to ease her suffering. Though Barsilay still carries deep guilt over the war and its casualties, and he’s uncertain about claiming leadership over Luz, his longing to help Naftaly gives him focus. He doesn’t articulate this to her directly, but internally he’s driven by the hope that with enough knowledge, he might become the kind of person who can protect her—not with magic or politics, but with care. His medical training becomes a form of redemption, a way to prove to himself that he can still do good. He even finds a way to temporarly heal Naftaly; by putting a leech behind his ear, and it temporarily stops his visions. 

Eventually, both groups converge on Zayit. Toba and Asmel arrive from the mortal side, while Barsilay and his companions reach it through the Mazik realm. Zayit is not a perfect refuge, but it is neutral ground, a rare city where trade with mortals thrives and Maziks have limited power. Still, the danger is far from over. Tarses and the Queen remain in pursuit, the killstone’s secrets are at risk of exposure, and Asmel’s memories continue to slip. 

he fragile safety Toba, Barsilay, and their allies find there is shattered when Atalef launches an assault—armed with dark magic, Mazik collaborators, and knowledge stolen through safiras. The chaos begins with illusions and infiltrations: people are impersonated, memories are tampered with, and wards are shattered. Toba, increasingly confident in her identity and power, rises to meet the threat alongside Barsilay, who now fully embraces his role as Luz’s heir. Naftaly’s visions intensify, giving them crucial warnings just in time. Asmel, whose memory is nearly gone, still plays a pivotal role by sharing one last piece of knowledge before the end. The battle crescendos in a confrontation with Atalef, where truths about the safiras and the killstone come to light. Though Atalef is not fully defeated, the protagonists force a temporary retreat, saving Zayit from complete destruction. 

Tsifra’s father offers her the position she has been wanting her whole life; she just can’t decide if her father is doing it to maniuplate her or not. Now Tsifra needs to decide weather to obey her father, and betray her new family, or wheter she’ll kill her father. 

Barsilay ends up talking with the queen, who demands that her guards take him and throw him in irons.