The Ordeals by Rachel Greenlaw (Hardback)

Sophia De Winter has spent her life under the cruel control of her uncle, the Collector, bound to him by a blood oath. At twenty, she finally sees a chance to escape when she learns of Killmarth College, a prestigious academy for magic wielders outside the Collector’s reach. But entry comes at a deadly cost: a series of brutal trials known as the Ordeals, where only the strongest survive.

As an illusionist, Sophia’s powers are far from formidable. Her survival in the first challenge depends on an uneasy alliance with Alden Hughes, a talented and infuriatingly attractive botanist. Together, they must navigate rivalries, alliances, and hidden dangers in a competition where failure often means death. Each trial pushes Sophia to sharpen her magic, trust her instincts, and confront the shadowy threats both in the academy and from her past.

With hope and life hanging in the balance, Sophia realises that the Ordeals are more than tests of skill—they are battles of wits, heart, and survival. Every choice could bring her closer to freedom or lead her straight to a fatal trap. The lines between friend and foe blur, and the stakes are higher than she ever imagined.

In this dark, atmospheric romantasy, Rachel Greenlaw weaves a tale of magic, danger, and tension-filled romance, where ambition and survival collide, and one misstep could be deadly.