Dreamer’s Pool – Juliet Marillier

This book begins with a woman and a man in a prison – they’re across the aisle from each other, so are the only two people they can each see, other than the guards. They have a bit of a wary relationship, because of that sight. She knows that it’s been a year since she was imprisoned, and the lord must give her a hearing. But the guards are cruel, and let her know that she will not survive to the next day.

That night, she receives a visitor, who offers her a chance at a new life, but she must pledge herself to help people for the next seven years, and go north to the kingdom of Dalraida. She must leave her revenge behind. (That revenge becomes clearer over the course of the book.) She accepts, and a tree destroys their portion of the prison. Renaming herself Blackthorn, and with Grim as a companion, they travel north.

Blackthorn is a wise woman, and sets up in the abandoned cottage of the old wise woman to the town ruled by the heir to Dalraida. Prince Oran is betrothed to a lady named Flidais from the south. They have never met, but exchanged many letters before Flidais journeyed north, and the lady that arrives there is not the same lady he exchanged letters with. Eventually, he engages Blackthorn and Grim to help him figure out what’s going on.

Blackthorn and Grim really are the main characters here – Oran and Flidais are an interesting sub plot. We learn more about why Blackthorn was in prison, but we have yet to learn Grim’s full story. I dare say they’ll eventually go back south, with new allies, and I’m just so interested to see the wider story here.