Overall Book Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 (5/5)
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)
Fantasy Elements: Fae Courts, Vampires, Alchemy, Cursed Bloodlines,
Romance Tropes: Fated Mates, Enemies → Reluctant Allies → Lovers, Power Imbalance, Slow-Burn Tension

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SPOILER-FREE ZONE

I loved Quicksilver from the very beginning. It drops you straight into the action, no easing in, no warm-up trot — just boom, you’re in it. And it completely engrossed me, the kind of book that pulls you under before you even realize it. The world feels alive and dangerous in the best way, full of old magic, tangled politics, and that haunting sense that the gods are lurking just out of sight. Every page feels steeped in history and meaning, like there’s always more to uncover if you just read one more chapter… and then another… and then suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’re obsessed.

The romance had me hooked right away. It is full of tension, longing, and that push-and-pull energy that makes romantasy so addictive. The chemistry feels raw and inevitable without ever taking away from the deeper story happening around it.

I also fell hard for the rest of the cast. The friendships, loyalties, and rivalries make the world feel textured and real. Every side character adds something important, and by the end, I was just as invested in them as I was in the main story.

Revisiting Quicksilver for this deep dive made me appreciate it even more. There is so much depth hidden beneath the surface – layers of lore, emotion, and mystery that make this world feel truly alive. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much is still left to uncover.

It is dark but not heavy, romantic but not predictable, and rich with magic and heart. Quicksilver is easily one of those books that stays with you long after you close it. If it isn’t already on your TBR, it absolutely should be.

If you still need to grab your copy, you can get it here.

AMBIANCE ADD-ON

This is the exact ambiance video I used (and absolutely loved) while reading Quicksilver. It captures the moody, magical tension of the story perfectly. The sounds and visuals made me feel like I was right there in Kingfisher’s room, surrounded by flickering light and quiet power. It brought the setting to life and helped me picture the atmosphere and tone of the story so vividly. Listening to it truly deepened my experience and made me feel completely immersed in the world.
🎧 Listen on YouTube

FULL RECAP (SPOILERS AHEAD)

Act I – The Thief of Zilvaren

Life Inside the Third Ward

In the crumbling Third Ward of Zilvaren, Saeris Fane survives by stealing and apprenticing under Elroy, a glass smith who once loved her mother. The ward is labeled as plagued and is quarantined, but the truth is much uglier. The plague is a convenient excuse to pen in the remnants of a failed rebellion and slowly let them die out. Starvation, sickness, and silence have become the law of the land.

The Stolen Golden Gauntlet

During a heated confrontation with a Guardian, his golden gauntlet slips loose and falls to the ground. Saeris moves fast, scoops it up, and hides it in her bag before anyone notices. She knows it is dangerous to keep, but she also knows that anything dropped by the powerful is a chance at survival. Her plan is simple. She will melt the gauntlet down and sell the gold for coin. With it tucked safely away, she heads to the local tavern to find her brother, Hayden.

A Dangerous Warning

When she arrives, she finds Hayden beaten once again by Carrion Swift, a thrifter from the Third with a sharp mouth and a worse temper. Saeris does not want Carrion anywhere near the stolen gauntlet, so she hands her bag to Hayden and tells him to hold it while she deals with Carrion.

During their tense exchange, Carrion warns her to get rid of the gauntlet before she brings the queen’s wrath down on the entire ward. The warning unsettles her. When she leaves the tavern, she realizes Hayden has already slipped away with her bag.

Hayden Surrounded by Guardians

She goes searching and follows the sound of shouting until she finds the source. Hayden is in the street, surrounded by Guardians, holding the stolen golden gauntlet. They are focused entirely on him and are ready to blame him for the theft. Saeris understands immediately that her hesitation has put him in danger. She steps forward, confesses, and fights. She manages to kill two Guardians before they overwhelm her and drag her away.

The Hall of Mirrors

Saeris is taken to the Hall of Mirrors. There, Queen Madra waits and orders her most loyal guard, Harron, to execute Saeris. Harron strikes her and leaves her mortally wounded. In her desperation and pain, Saeris reaches for the sword embedded in the mirrored floor. Against all expectation, it comes free in her hand. The blade triggers a surge of quicksilver that spills like liquid light and ripples through the hall. A man steps through the portal, a shadowed figure she mistakes for Death himself. He sees how close she is to dying, clasps a chain around her neck, and pulls her with him through the quicksilver as she loses consciousness.

Act II – The Alchemist Awakens in Yvelia

Arrival in Yvelia

When Saeris wakes, she is no longer in Zilvaren. She is in Yvelia, the fae realm, a place both ancient and unnervingly beautiful. She has been unconscious for days, and in that time Everlayne De Barra has been tending to her. Saeris realizes quickly that her arrival in Yvelia did not happen by chance.

The One-Week Ultimatum

Saeris is brought before King Belikon, ruler of Yvelia. He tells her she has one week to prove she can control the alchemy that allowed her to pull the sword free, or face the consequences. The man who carried her through the quicksilver is there as well. He is not Death, but Kingfisher, Lord of Cahlish and leader of the Lupo Proelia, with quicksilver burning in his eye. The chain he clasped around her neck is tied to him too, helping keep the quicksilver at bay and keeping his mind steady. Their lives are now bound together, whether either of them likes it or not.

Training in the Forge

Belikon orders Kingfisher to help Saeris uncover her alchemy, and the two of them begin working in the forge. Their time together is intense and often frustrating. Kingfisher is blunt and guarded, always giving her just enough information to keep her going and just enough silence to drive her furious. Even with all the walls between them, the pull grows stronger. When they finally kiss, it is raw and full of heat. While he is distracted, Saeris steals his ring, convinced it is a relic that will protect her if she uses the quicksilver pool to escape back home.

The Failed Escape

She reaches the quicksilver pool, ready to escape, but Kingfisher finds her before she can step through. He stops her and tells her the truth. The ring she stole is not a real relic and would not protect her. Crossing the quicksilver like this would kill her. After a heated argument, they strike a blood bound deal. Kingfisher will go through the quicksilver and try to bring Hayden back to her. In return, Saeris will stay and do what he says until she has made relics for his people. The moment their blood mixes, the magic seals the bargain and neither of them can walk away from it.

The Wrong Man Returns

Kingfisher disappears into the quicksilver with nothing but Saeris’s scent to guide him. When the surface finally ripples again and he steps back through, Saeris’s heart leaps, because he is carrying someone in his arms. For one breathless moment she truly believes he has brought Hayden back.

Then she sees the truth.

It is Carrion Swift.

Her scent is still strong on him from the night they spent together months ago, and the quicksilver led Kingfisher straight to the wrong man. Kingfisher is unsteady and shaken from the crossing, but the magic accepts what he has done. He tried to bring Hayden back, and he returned with someone. The deal holds.

Bound by Magic and Consequences

Saeris is furious, trapped in a bargain she cannot escape, and forced to accept the disaster neither of them could have predicted. With the magic binding her and no way to undo it, she and Carrion travel with Kingfisher to Cahlish.

Act III – Cahlish, God Swords, and the Shape of Power

Entering Kingfisher’s Homeland

Cahlish is Kingfisher’s home, a fae stronghold shaped by years of war and loss. It is the heart of his people and the place where Saeris begins to understand the pressure he carries. Renfis, one of Kingfisher’s closest allies, tells him plainly that if he expects Saeris to help their people, he needs to stop treating her like a tool. He insists Kingfisher start actually speaking to her, sharing meals with her, and treating her like a person rather than something he can order around.

Claiming the Left-Hand Seat

At their first dinner, Saeris is placed at the far end of an absurdly long table, so far away it feels like an insult. She refuses to accept it. She gets up, walks the entire length of the table, and takes the seat at Kingfisher’s left hand. The staff freeze, Renfis nearly drops his drink, and Kingfisher simply lets her stay. Saeris has no idea what she has just done, but Kingfisher does. That chair is traditionally reserved for a mate or intended consort, and she has unknowingly claimed it. Even though he has not fully accepted the bond yet, he allows her to remain there without hesitation.

The Feeder Attack

Not long after, feeders attack. Saeris is struck by poisoned claws and collapses. Kingfisher takes her to his room and orders her to stay in his bed until the venom leaves her system. Because of their blood bond, her body obeys him whether she wants it to or not. It enrages her, but once she recovers, she throws herself back into trying to understand her alchemy.

The War Camp and the Godsword’s Awakening

Kingfisher brings her to the war camp, where Saeris sees the front lines for the first time. When Danya suddenly goes after Kingfisher in anger, Saeris reacts on pure instinct. The power that bursts out of her hits Danya’s sword and the blade explodes in a flash of quicksilver. The sword is a godsword that has been in Danya’s family for generations, but it has been inactive for a very long time. Saeris’s reaction shatters that stillness in an instant. Everyone is left stunned, but before they can process what happened, Malcolm’s forces surge across the frozen Darn River. The feeders crash through the ice beneath their own weight and plunge into the freezing water, giving the fae a narrow chance to hold the line.

A Moment of Peace in Ballard

After the battle, Kingfisher takes Saeris to Ballard, a quiet place tucked away from the chaos of war. It is a spot from his childhood, one his mother used to bring him to when the world felt too sharp. The moment they arrive, Saeris can feel how much this place means to him. The tension he always holds in his shoulders eases, his voice softens, and for the first time she sees the man behind every wall he has built.

Their time there is gentle and intimate in a way neither of them expects. Kingfisher finally lets himself relax with her, and Saeris lets herself trust him enough to lean into that peace. There are no soldiers watching, no commanders, no bargains hanging over their heads. Just the two of them in a place that feels like a memory he has chosen to share with her and only her.

It is one of the most romantic moments in the entire book. Their guard drops, their connection deepens, and something shifts between them that neither of them can deny anymore. It becomes one of the most important turning points in their relationship and one of the scenes that stays with you long after the chapter ends.

Calling on the Quicksilver

When they return to Cahlish, Saeris is still struggling to unlock her power. Carrion is the one who finally says what no one else thought of. He suggests she simply ask the quicksilver for help. It sounds ridiculous, but she tries it. To everyone’s shock, the quicksilver answers. It tells her it will help reforge Danya’s sword, but it wants something in return. It asks for a song and for the first blood spilled on the reforged blade to be worthy.

Reforging the Godsword

Saeris reforges the sword with Lorreth beside her, following exactly what the quicksilver told her. It asked for a song made just for it, and it would judge the first blood spilled on the blade to see if that blood was worthy of the godsword waking again. When the reforging is finished, Lorreth ends up singing a song about Kingfisher, giving the quicksilver the offering it asked for. Only after the song settles does the quicksilver respond, its presence stirring through the blade. That is when Saeris and Lorreth notice the cut on his hand and the blood on the metal, and everything clicks at once. Lorreth’s blood was the first spilled, and the quicksilver has judged it worthy. The godsword wakes and claims him as its rightful master. Later, when Danya tries to take the sword back, it rejects her instantly. A godsword chooses once, and its choice is final.

The Alchemist She Was Born to Be

By the time the forge cools, it is obvious that Saeris is the strongest alchemist in living memory. The kind of power she possesses has not been seen since the earliest ages, and everyone in Cahlish knows it.

Act IV – Shadows, Mazes, and the Price of a Deal

Everlayne Taken

The next attack hits too close. Everlayne is taken, and Malcolm sinks his fangs into her, leaving her cursed and running out of time. If they do not move fast, she will turn. Kingfisher turns to the witches for help, since they are the only ones who might know how to pull the venom out of her blood before it is too late.

One Last Night in Ballard

Before the plan can begin, Kingfisher takes Saeris back to Ballard for what becomes their last night there. Everything between them finally breaks open in the quiet. He accepts their mating bond fully, without fighting it anymore. By morning, he is gone. In his place stands a shadow gate and a letter. He has gone to sacrifice himself, choosing her safety over his own life.

Into Malcolm’s Palace

Saeris refuses to let that happen. When Kingfisher sends Everlayne back through a shadow gate, Saeris, Carrion, and Lorreth immediately follow through another, determined to reach him. They arrive inside Malcolm’s palace and walk straight into the truth. Belikon, Madra, and Malcolm are together. Everything that has been happening traces back to them and their hidden alliance.

The Maze and the Unfinished Bargain

The depth of Kingfisher’s past with Malcolm finally comes into focus. Long ago, the two of them agreed to end the war with a single coin toss. But Malcolm caught the coin before it ever touched the ground, freezing the bargain in place and trapping Kingfisher with it. He spent more than a century inside a maze, searching for the coin that was never allowed to fall. It turns out that when Saeris pulled Solace from the quicksilver pool, it reactivated all of the pools. One of them sat at the center of the maze, and when Kingfisher felt it stir back to life, he used it to escape.

Carrion’s Reveal

With the truth laid bare, everything begins to unravel at once. Carrion steps forward and deliberately provokes Malcolm into biting him, and that is when the real shock hits. Carrion is Carrion Daianthus, heir to Yvelia and part of the bloodline that created the Blood Curse. His blood is poison to vampires, and Malcolm pays for the mistake immediately. The tide turns.

Breaking the Bargain

The quicksilver responds to Saeris again, pulling her through the maze and leading her straight to the coin that began all of this. When she flips it and it finally hits the ground, the suspended bargain snaps back into place and breaks for good. The fight that follows is brutal. Saeris takes Malcolm’s head, but not before he mortally wounds her. Taladaius begins to turn her to keep her alive, and Kingfisher allows it. He would rather let her turn than lose her entirely.

Act V – The Gods, the Choice, and the Queen of Sanasroth

Called by the Quicksilver

The quicksilver calls to Saeris again, stronger than it ever has, and this time she knows she is meant to answer. When she steps through, she finds herself in the presence of the gods. Zareth, the god of change, stands waiting for her in a shimmering expanse that feels alive with shifting light. His presence is heavy, not with anger, but with the weight of everything he has been carrying.

Zareth’s Truth

He finally tells her the truth. In every single future he has ever seen where Saeris and Kingfisher find each other, the universe collapses. A creeping rot starts spreading through creation, destroying everything the gods built. To stop that destruction, Zareth has spent ages moving pieces around the board. He has pushed fate, rearranged paths, and bent entire timelines to keep the two of them apart. Everything he has done, for centuries, has been to prevent the two of them from meeting.

A Bond the Gods Cannot Break

But it is too late. Their bond is already formed. Saeris and Kingfisher are god bound, tied so deeply that the bond hides them from the sight of the other gods and shields Kingfisher from being killed by them. Zareth even made Kingfisher his champion, though the full meaning of that title has not been fully revealed yet. And the only futures Zareth cannot see anymore, the ones that fall completely outside divine sight, are the ones where Saeris and Kingfisher remain god bound mates.

The Choice

So he gives her a choice. She can die and restore balance, or she can choose to live, knowing she will lose every ounce of his divine protection and be made into something entirely new. Something unpredictable. Something no god can see or control. Saeris chooses life.

Becoming Something New

When she wakes, the world has changed and so has she. Her ears are pointed like the fae and her canines are long and sharp like a vampire’s. She is half fae and half vampire now, something that has never existed before. No one knows which traits will become dominant or what she will eventually become. What they do know is that with Malcolm dead, the crown of Sanasroth automatically passes to her as she is the one who killed him. She is now the Queen of Sanasroth, with her coronation scheduled for two days later. The war is nowhere near finished, but the sides have shifted in ways no one expected.

MY THOUGHTS, THEORIES & SPECULATIONS

Carrion’s Knowledge

Tell me why Carrion just somehow knew how to command the quicksilver when literally no one else in the entire world did. Every alchemist who might have known the truth is long gone, yet he gave Saeris the exact advice she needed like it was common knowledge. I cannot believe that was luck. Something in his past is tied to alchemy, and I have a feeling it is going to come out in a big way.

Malcolm’s Death

I have a bad feeling Malcolm is not as dead as everyone wants to think. The whole “you have to kill all three members of the Triumvirate for it to stick” thing feels a little too specific to just be lore. With Madra and Belikon still out there, I would not be shocked if he crawled his way back into the story. Probably smug as ever, too.

Everlayne’s Fate

Everlayne was in a deep healing sleep as the story ended, watched over by Ren (and yes, I am absolutely shipping them). Their chemistry is so natural that I cannot help rooting for them. Still, I do not think her recovery will be simple. Something about it feels too easy. I am waiting for a twist there, maybe a permanent change, a lingering side effect, or a new power awakening.

The Future of Sansaroth

Now that Saeris is the new queen of Sansaroth, the entire balance of the war has shifted. It will not be humans and fae against vampires anymore, because she is their queen now. The real conflict will likely center on Madra and Belikon. I keep wondering if the vampires will even accept her leadership since she is newly turned, half fae, and emotionally tied to a fae warlord. That is not exactly a recipe for smooth politics.
And yes, I still think Malcolm will pop back up, probably to reclaim the throne or stir chaos. Because what is a new era of peace without a dramatic undead king trying to ruin it?

Madra Mysteries

I cannot stop thinking about this woman. Every time I feel like I understand her, another question appears. Here is everything currently breaking my brain.

• How is Madra over a thousand years old when everyone, including Belikon and Malcolm, insists she is human
• If she really is human, how has she survived this long
• How did she make her guard Harron immortal
• Does she actually have magic, or is she using someone else’s
• Could she be keeping a fae or alchemist captive to draw power from them
• If she is, why would she keep them alive when she has spent centuries hunting down anyone with magic, especially alchemists
• We know she is the one who closed the quicksilver portals, but why did she do it
• It made sense when it seemed like a war tactic against the fae, but that no longer fits now that she is working with them
• Belikon was furious when she sealed the portals, so how did they go from enemies to allies
• How are they even working together across realms
• Did their alliance form only recently after Saeris pulled Solace from the quicksilver and reactivated the pathways

CHARACTERS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Main Characters

• Saeris Fane — Once human, now reborn with both fae and vampire lineage. Displays extraordinary alchemical power.
• Kingfisher — Fae lord and leader of the Lupo Proelia. Connected to Saeris through fate and magic.

Allies

• Everlayne De Barra — Fae noblewoman and Kingfisher’s half-sister. Brave, loyal, and central to the final conflict.
• Lorreth — Fae warrior bonded to the god sword Avisièth.
• Renfis — Commander of the Yvelian army and Kingfisher’s closest friend.
• Iseabail — Powerful witch assisting Kingfisher with quicksilver control.
• Te Léna — Healer working alongside Iseabail on quicksilver extraction.
• Archer — Fire Sprite who raised Kingfisher and still watches over him.
• Onyx — Faithful white fox companion.

Villains

• Belikon De Barra — King of Yvelia; secretly allied with Malcolm and Madra.
• Malcolm — Former vampire king; presumed dead but uncertain.
• Madra — Immortal queen of Zilvaren, responsible for stilling the quicksilver pathways.

Wildcards

• Carrion Swift Daianthus — Heir to Yvelia, descendant of the bloodline that created the Blood Curse.
• Finran — Missing alchemist king and former wielder of Solace.
• Taladaius — Malcolm’s second-in-command; motives remain uncertain.
• Harron — Immortal human guard under Queen Madra; fate unknown.

FACTIONS & GROUPS

Lupo Proelia

A legendary fae war band once led by Kingfisher. Known for their unmatched loyalty and strength, each member carries a personal history of loss tied to the Blood Curse. Lorreth, Renfis, and Danya are among its core members.

The Triumvirate

The ruling trio of ancient power: Madra, Belikon, and Malcolm. Their alliance bridges the realms of humans, fae, and vampires—but only through manipulation, blood magic, and centuries of betrayal. Each seeks immortality in their own twisted way: Madra through control, Belikon through dominion, and Malcolm through the curse itself.

The Guardians

Enforcers of Queen Madra’s rule in Zilvaren. Recognizable by their silver gauntlets, they maintain “order” through intimidation and violence. Their presence in the Third Ward ensures rebellion is crushed before it can rise.

The Balquhidder Witches

A secretive coven rooted in ancient alchemy. Iseabail descends from this line, which once helped craft the cure for the Blood Curse and still guards forbidden knowledge about quicksilver’s nature and the gods who forged it.

The Vampiric Court of Sanasroth

Once ruled by Malcolm and soon to be Saeris’s domain. Built on blood oaths, shifting alliances, and centuries of vengeance, this court now faces the arrival of its new and unpredictable queen.

The Yvelian Army

Commanded by Renfis and loyal to Kingfisher. They defend Yvelia’s icy borders against Sanasroth’s armies. Hardened by endless war, they follow Kingfisher not just out of duty, but devotion.

WORLD GUIDE

Regions and Realms

Zilvaren – Human territory ruled by Queen Madra. Once thriving, now plagued and fractured after centuries of political manipulation. The Third Ward remains the heart of rebellion, where poverty hides secrets and old magic still lingers.

Yvelia – Kingdom of the fae and home to Kingfisher’s court. Known for its breathtaking palaces, shifting seasons, and the Winter Palace, where much of the fae court gathers during colder months. The realm’s magic is alive in the air and land itself, tied closely to the quicksilver that flows beneath its surface.

Cahlish – Kingfisher’s homeland and stronghold of the Lupo Proelia. A mix of coastal villages and mountain fortresses, it reflects both his warrior roots and his people’s resilience.

Ballard – A quiet, sea-edge haven that holds Kingfisher’s most human memories. It’s where the story slows, emotions deepen, and fate feels almost gentle.

Sanasroth – The heart of the vampire domain, once ruled by Malcolm. A place of crimson halls, rituals, and blood-forged politics, now awaiting Saeris’s coronation.

The Quicksilver Pathways – Living portals connecting the realms. They act as bridges between worlds, both a blessing and a curse, and are as temperamental as the gods who once forged them.

Gods & Mythology

The Corcoran — seven gods tied to various forces:

• Styx (shadow)
• Kurin (secrets)
• Nicinnai (masks)
• Maleus (dawn)
• Balmithin — twins Bal & Mithin (sky)
• Zareth (chaos & change)

God Swords

• Nimerelle — Kingfisher’s sword; blackened, smokes when used; holds Merelle’s soul fragment.
• Solace — Saeris’s sword; originally Finran’s; marked with crescent moon and old fae script.
• Avisièth — Lorreth’s sword; holds the power of Angel’s Breath.
• Simon — Carrion’s sword; personality unknown, but sentient.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Falling in Love With This World All Over Again

I absolutely loved this book, and honestly, deep diving it afterward made me love it even more. The first read pulled me in right away, but really breaking down the layers, the worldbuilding, the politics, and the character dynamics showed me just how much depth this story actually has. I fell for Saeris and Kingfisher immediately, but I also found myself completely attached to Everlayne, Ren, Lorreth, Carrion, and everyone else orbiting this world. And Onyx? Please. I would die for that little fox. Who doesn’t love a magical fox companion with attitude. I’m such a sucker for cute animal sidekicks.

What I’m Dying to See Next

Brimstone cannot come fast enough. I am so excited to see which questions get answered, which ones spiral into bigger mysteries, and what twists are waiting for us next. I really hope we get the chance to sit with Saeris and Kingfisher as a real couple for a bit before the universe tries to tear them apart again. After everything they went through to get here, they deserve at least a moment of peace. I am also dying to see Hayden again, and I cannot wait to explore more of Zilvaren, Yvelia, and the Third. I want to see where Saeris and her brother end up emotionally and physically after everything that happened.

My Entire Heart Belongs to Saeris and Kingfisher

And listen… I have to talk about Saeris and Kingfisher or I’ll actually combust. Now that they have fully accepted the mating bond, I am gone for them. Absolutely feral. The way their runes glow when they are near each other, the way their connection feels deeper than magic and deeper than fate itself… it is everything I want in a romantasy couple. There is so much tenderness layered under all the trauma and sharp edges. You can feel how completely they fit together even when everything around them is trying to tear them apart.

Hope for a Different Ending

And yes, I know the history. Every god bound pairing before them has ended in heartbreak, with one dying and the other left to grieve forever. The odds are terrible. The precedent is awful. But I refuse to believe that is their fate. I want these two to be the ones who finally break the pattern, who look every prophecy and every divine warning in the eye and choose each other anyway. If any couple can flip destiny the middle finger and carve out a future the gods never saw coming, it is Saeris and Kingfisher.

I am rooting for them with my whole soul.

If you still need to grab your copy of Brimstone, you can snag it here.

WANT MORE?

If you’re as obsessed with epic love stories and worlds full of gods, magic, and chaos as I am, there’s plenty more to explore here at The Romantasy Retreat.

Catch up on my other deep dives and favorite reads:

• Reviews & Recaps
• Reading Order Guides
• Romantasy Series & Book Lists

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