A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier

A young woman who is both a bard--and a warrior--seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series. The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau's family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau's home as a bond servant for the span of one year. There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help. When Liobhan and Dau start to expose the rot at the center of Oakhill, they place themselves in deadly danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them a hope of survival. . . .

I really love the books of Juliet Marillier and “A Dance with Fate” is no exception!
An historical, paranormal, mystic, story with action and adventure, suspense and mystery... Two souls united by trust, good communication skills, and the same goal... growing as person and “warriors”... that through adversity found love...

CW: flashbacks to violent death of a dog belonging to one of the main characters, references to another dog being beaten by his owner (although the dog is rescued and lives). Masterful. One of the best books I've read by one of my favorite authors. Takes everything good about the first book in the series, [b:The Harp of Kings 43316755 The Harp of Kings (Warrior Bards, #1) Juliet Marillier https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552128464l/43316755.SY75.jpg 57888974], and kicks it up a notch. The things that annoyed me about Liobhan in Harp are gone; she's a true warrior now, strong without being foolhardy. Not only can she kick butt in a fight, she can also sing a haunting melody and concoct a healing brew. The journey that Dau goes through - blinded in a freak accident, forced to return to the home where he was tormented by his older brothers and ignored by his father - is absolutely heartbreaking, but through his trials his remaining arrogance is humbled and replaced by true leadership. He and Liobhan demonstrate their never-wavering loyalty to each other, and their relationship finally evolves to the point we all knew was coming, despite its antagonistic beginning in the first book. The scenes with Liobhan's half-fey brother Brocc that take place in the Otherworld are interesting but unsettling. There's something about his wife Eirne that doesn't sit right with me, and I don't know if the development at the end of the book is a good omen or a foreboding one. The creepy Crow Folk appear in both the human and Otherworlds, and the reason for their violent behavior is obviously going to play a key role in the final book of the trilogy (god willing the world is still turning by the time it is published). I suppose this book could stand alone but you really need to read [b:The Harp of Kings 43316755 The Harp of Kings (Warrior Bards, #1) Juliet Marillier https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552128464l/43316755.SY75.jpg 57888974] to fully appreciate the complicated dynamics among Liobhan, Dau and Brocc. Marillier's books are dense and long but completely engaging; I read the 500 page novel in a long weekend.