The Rivaled Crown by Holly Renee

Here is a summary with spoilers for The Rivaled Crown

Days after the last book ends, Verena is imprisoned in her father's cells. Tortured and broken in body, she hasn’t broken in spirit—despite his relentless efforts to force her magic to manifest. During one brutal session, a figure steps out of the shadows: Micah. Her first friend. The one who helped her escape the first time. But now, he's working for her father.

Micah visits Verena occasionally, mostly to warn her that resistance is useless—that her father always wins. At one of her lowest points, he uses magic to trick her into thinking Dacre has come for her. The illusion doesn't last long.

Meanwhile, Dacre, now a prisoner aboard a ship, escapes after just one day. It takes him a few more to reach the shore, where his friend Kai and sister Wren help him recover. But when the king’s men and the rebellion arrive, they’re overwhelmed. Dacre is captured and brought to a rebellion prison. Once he’s healed, he’s brought before the council, who brand him a traitor. In desperation, Dacre declares his love for Verena and reveals they’re mates. He promises to help the rebellion infiltrate the castle through secret tunnels in exchange for a chance to save her. They agree.

Verena’s nightmare continues. Day after day of torture, until one moment of raw emotion and rage unleashes her power—it manifests as a syphon. She accidentally drains the magic of a guard, killing him. Her father is thrilled and pulls her from the dungeon, declaring her his heir.

In the castle, she’s haunted by a vision of her mother. Her mother speaks of vessels, ancient forces that can attach to a person and consume them—just as they did to her father. Verena, her mother says, is the last vessel. Her father plans to bind her to himself, to harness all her power. But there's a prophecy. One only Verena can fulfill, and it could change everything.

True to his word, Dacre leads a small rebellion group through the tunnels. Instead of the castle, they end up at his grandmother’s house—where they find Micah. Wren is overjoyed at first—Micah was her lost love. But then they see his uniform. Micah made a deal with the king to save his sister, who had been imprisoned and abused. In exchange, he agreed to help find Verena. However, once he revealed he had helped her escape before, the king reluctantly agreed.

Micah and Dacre’s grandmother reveal more about the vessels. Verena is the last—and the king is preparing to bind her. The grandmother also reveals that she and Verena’s mother cast the spell that had long hidden Verena’s magic.

At the castle, Verena is brought to the well of magic. Her father begins the ritual to force the vessel within her to fuse entirely with her soul. It’s agonizing—but then she feels Dacre’s presence. As she resists, Dacre and the others arrive. A vicious battle breaks out. Everyone is injured. Verena ultimately masters the vessel, pushes back her father’s control—and when she walks out of the ritual chamber, she sees something new in her father’s eyes: fear.

Exhausted, Verena passes out. Dacre and the others flee with her to the rebellion’s hidden city. As Dacre tries to heal her, Verena accidentally syphons all his magic. Everyone sees. Panic erupts. The council convenes, debating whether she’s too dangerous to live.

Dacre defends her, but it’s Verena who silences the room—showing them the scars her father left on her. She tells them she would rather die than go back. The council allows her to stay.

The next day, Dacre pleads her case again—but this time, Micah and Dacre’s grandmother appear. They share the full prophecy: Verena is the key. This is her rebellion now.

Despite this, Verena remains afraid of her power. Dacre urges her not to shut him out. That night, he proposes. She agrees. They journey to an ancient temple, where Dacre’s grandmother performs the ceremony—at the same spot where their mothers once vowed to protect their land. The bond solidifies. They feel complete.

Stronger than ever, Verena begins training her power with Kai. Slowly, she gains control. Dacre’s grandmother steps in and pushes her further—until Verena finally masters the magic.

After training, Verena encounters Micah. She still sees him as a traitor, but he reveals that protecting her was always his mission—sent by her mother, from her mother’s homeland. He plans to return to the castle, to try again.

Soon after, Verena overhears the council. They speak of removing her if she becomes too powerful. She walks into the room, and the conversation stops. Dacre follows.

Then, word reaches them: Eiran—someone Verena once trusted—reveals that he was present during the night of her first escape, when Dacre’s mother was killed. He saw her help a young girl (Verena) escape through the tunnels. His father, a friend of Dacre’s father, saw it too—and killed her for treason. Eiran had stayed silent out of fear. The rebellion is outraged. Dacre and his father beat him nearly to death.

The rebellion finalizes their plans. Verena and Dacre spend one last night together, in case they’re separated in the battle.

The next day, the final assault begins—but the tunnels are blocked. They storm the front. Verena, wielding her full power, clears a path to the castle. The rebellion sees her for who she is—a leader, a queen, their champion.

Inside, the vessel calls to her—two of them. They lead her straight to her father. In the battle that follows, he syphons Wren, nearly killing her. Eiran sacrifices himself to save her. Micah arrives, but stops when his sister is brought out. Verena taps into the vessel fully, mastering her power—and finishes her father with a dagger, face-to-face.

With the king dead, Verena is hailed as queen. She takes a few days to help rebuild before accepting the crown. She offers her mother’s homeland—now hers—to Micah and his sister to help rebuild there.

Verena and Dacre remain together, helping rebuild their kingdom and their future.

The Rivaled Crown by Holly Renee