The second book in a new trilogy from Joseph Delaney, the author of the internationally best-selling Last Apprentice series. Tom Ward is now spook of the county, and with his apprentice, Jenny, he continues the fight against boggarts, witches, and terrifying new creatures of the dark. Together with the witch assassin, Grimalkin, Tom and Jenny lead an army into battle against a dangerous enemy―but it all goes catastrophically wrong. The situation seems hopeless until Alice―Tom’s lost love and a powerful witch―appears. But Alice had turned to the dark: can Tom trust her now? Joseph Delaney’s deliciously scary imagination continues Tom’s saga, introducing new readers to the struggle against the encroaching dark and taking longtime fans back to familiar settings, where they will find old friends―and old enemies. Perfect for every reader who loves thrills, chills, action, and adventure―no prior knowledge of the Last Apprentice series is necessary! With a witch assassin at his side and his lost love’s loyalty in question, Tom must face an enemy he can’t possibly defeat alone. Reluctant Hero: Tom Ward is a spook, not a general. But after a fated victory, he finds himself at the head of an army, facing an impossible war. - Enemies to Allies: To survive, Tom must trust Grimalkin, the deadly witch assassin. But her schemes have already cost him his life once. - Dark Magic: His lost love Alice returns with formidable new power, but her turn to the dark makes her an unpredictable and dangerous ally. - Supernatural Creatures: Face the barbaric, wolf-like Kobalos warriors, their monstrous battle entities, and the dark gods who command them. “Delaney knows how to build a horrifying set piece.” - Kirkus Reviews THOMAS WARD IS DEAD, killed in his attempt to conquer the Kobalos, terrifying creatures set on enslaving the human race. Devastated by his loss, his apprentice Jenny and the witch assassin Grimalkin are ready to abandon the war and return home. Yet in the struggle between light and dark, not everyone who dies stays dead. Soon, a newly resurrected Tom Ward finds himself standing across the battlefield from Alice, a witch who has aligned herself with the dark; a witch he once loved. In this war, the rules are constantly changing. The return of a powerful old enemy could put Tom and Alice on the same side once more—if only Tom can find a way to trust her. In this chilling sequel to A New Darkness, Tom’s determination to be protector against the dark is tested more than ever before. Joseph DELANEY is the author of the internationally best-selling The Last Apprentice series, which is now a major motion picture, Seventh Son . He is a former English teacher who lives in the heart of boggart territory in Lancashire, England. His village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.