A Forsaken Prophecy (The Artisan Trilogy Book 2)

In a world of high-class magic and gangster grit, a star-crossed couple must decide where their loyalties lie in the sizzling romantasy follow-up to BookTok star Stacey McEwan’s New York Times bestseller A Forbidden Alchemy.

In Belavere Trench, the Artisans and the Craftsmen are at war. Patrick, the last Alchemist, and Nina, the world’s only known earth Charmer, have been captured by the Artisans, putting Patrick’s rebel union in a precarious position.

Though he hasn’t forgiven Nina her betrayals, Patrick has other things to worry about. He is finally reunited with his father, a prisoner of the Artisans, and the group lands a narrow escape only with the help of Nina’s first love, Theo. Decoding an ancient prophecy, they set off in search of an infinite supply of idium that will determine the course of the war, should it prove more than a myth. Fleeing across Craftsman towns on the brink, they will encounter old friends—and enemies—in search of answers.

Stacey McEwan is a school teacher by day and fantasy writer by night. She lives on the Gold Coast, Australia with her husband and two children. When Stacey isn’t writing, teaching, or making ridiculous content on social media, you’ll find her playing with her children, reading, annoying her husband, or possibly all three at once. She was signed by Angry Robot Books in 2021, who released her debut novel in September, 2022.

“An epic, breath-of-fresh-air romantasy. A Forbidden Alchemy is the book you’ll never get over.” — Hannah Nicole Maehrer, New York Times bestselling author of Assistant to the Villain

“A pressure-corked vial crafted with the perfect romantic tension and pure gangster-style grit. I loved every single chapter.”

— Raven Kennedy, New York Times bestselling author of the Plated Prisoner series

"Stacey McEwan's writing has a way of drawing you in and never letting go. Romantasy lovers need to add this one to their TBR." — Nisha J. Tuli, internationally bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen

“A high-stakes fantasy that not only keeps you on the edge of your seat, but squeezes your heart until it bleeds.” — Amber V. Nicole, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Book of Azrael

"[A] unique romantasy that seamlessly blends genres."

— Library Journal (starred review)

In Stacey McEwan's thrilling romantasy sequel, A Forsaken Prophecy, readers are plunged back into the dark, gaslamp-and-gunpowder world of Belavere Trench. The story picks up mere moments after the explosive conclusion of the first book, offering no time for the dust to settle before thrusting its protagonists into immediate peril. The deeply entrenched class war between the ruling Artisans and the exploited Craftsmen has reached a boiling point. At the center of this conflict are Patrick Colson, the world’s last living Alchemist and a key figure in the rebel Miners Union, and Nina Harrow, the only known earth Charmer. As the novel opens, both Patrick and Nina find themselves severely wounded and captured by the ruthless Artisans. Their imprisonment is made all the more agonizing by the heavy silence and unresolved tension between them. Patrick harbors a deep, simmering resentment toward Nina for her previous betrayals, and their once-close bond is deeply fractured. Despite their shared captivity, they can barely stand to look at each other, setting the stage for an emotionally charged journey of slow-burn reconciliation.

While in the clutches of the Artisans, Patrick is unexpectedly reunited with his father, who has been held as a prisoner of the ruling class. This poignant reunion adds a new layer of vulnerability to Patrick’s hardened, gangster-like exterior. Realizing that remaining in captivity means certain death, the group is forced to engineer a daring and incredibly narrow escape. However, they do not manage this feat alone. They are aided by Theo, Nina’s first love, whose timely intervention adds a complex and morally ambiguous dynamic to their ragged band of fugitives. Theo is a fascinating addition to the central cast, constantly shifting his loyalties and adapting his colors to survive the brutal realities of their world. His presence inevitably complicates the already fragile relationship between Nina and Patrick, forming a tense triangle that is less about romantic competition and more about who Nina is ultimately willing to become in this war-torn society.

Once free from the immediate grasp of the Artisans, the group turns its attention to an ancient and highly secretive prophecy. The magic of Belavere Trench relies entirely on a substance called idium, which powers the "siphoning" of ranked abilities. The terrifying reality driving the Artisans to new heights of cruelty is that the world's supply of idium is rapidly running dry. The prophecy, however, speaks of an infinite, untapped vein of idium hidden deep within the earth. If this endless supply proves to be more than just an old miner's myth, it has the power to completely determine the course of the war. Knowing that whoever controls the idium controls the future of Belavere Trench, Patrick, Nina, Theo, and their companions set off on a desperate quest to decode the prophecy and find the hidden vein before their enemies do.

What follows is a grueling, ragged flight across a series of dying Craftsman mining towns. The narrative expertly builds an atmosphere of desperation and grit, perfectly capturing the smell of coal dust, the oppressive weight of the underground tunnels, and the bleak reality of a society pushed to the brink. As they move from town to town, the group is relentlessly pursued by Artisan antagonists, including the deeply unsettling Lord Tanner and Lord Shop. The constant threat of capture forces the group to keep moving, repeating a painful cycle of arriving in a new settlement, grieving their losses, arguing over their next steps, decoding new clues, and fleeing once again. During this harsh journey, the worldbuilding expands beautifully, introducing the mythology of the three daughters and the Stewards, which gives the central prophecy genuine historical weight and folds folk songs and heresy into the magic system.

Amidst the constant running and fighting, the heart of the novel remains the agonizingly slow and aching romance between Patrick and Nina. Patrick spends much of the journey hiding behind a cold, ruthless facade, fiercely nursing his wounds and refusing to forgive Nina. Yet, underneath his hardened exterior lies a buried tenderness that he cannot completely extinguish. Their reconciliation is not easily won; it is earned inch by agonizing inch as they orbit each other, pretending not to care while their magnetic pull only grows stronger. The emotional stakes are incredibly high, as they are repeatedly forced to rely on one another to survive cave-ins, ambushes, and the terrifying manipulation of earth and alchemy.

As the group closes in on the truth behind the prophecy, the class warfare and political maneuvering reach a fever pitch. The magic system, intrinsically tied to labor and exploitation, becomes a powerful metaphor for the struggles of the working class against their opulent oppressors. The relentless pacing of the final act forces the characters to confront their deepest fears and make impossible choices about their loyalties. In a genre often dominated by neat resolutions, the novel leans into the messy, violent reality of rebellion. The story culminates in a breathtaking and brutal cliffhanger that leaves the characters in a precarious position, fundamentally altering the landscape of the war. Ultimately, A Forsaken Prophecy delivers a rich, coal-dusted blend of high-stakes survival, intricate worldbuilding, and deeply emotional character arcs, leaving readers desperate for the final installment of the trilogy.