The Spirit of Fire

In a land ravaged by religious persecution, two young fugitives seek the truth of their origins-and discover a destiny that could destroy everything they hold dear.

Languedoc, 1243. After decades of crusade and bloodshed, the Catholic Church is determined to extinguish the last remnants of the Cathar faith. High in the Pyrenees, the fortress of Montsegur has become a refuge for the persecuted Good Men and Good Women. But an army surrounds its walls, and time is running out.

Having escaped the clutches of a powerful nobleman, Azemar and Azalaïs are desperate to reach Montsegur, where they believe the mystery of their birth will finally be revealed. Their journey is dangerous enough without the unexpected company of the captivating trobairitz Jordane de la Moux d'Aniort and her loyal companion, Johana. Jordane's determination to reunite with her lover, the rebel knight Raimon de Berenger, threatens to jeopardize their mission and place them all in mortal danger.

But reaching Montsegur is only the beginning of Azemar's ordeal.

A cryptic message sends him to the Templar stronghold of Mas Deu, where he must endure brutal trials and confront revelations that challenge everything he believes about himself. As the forces of Church and Crown close in on the Cathars, Azemar faces an impossible choice: follow the path laid out for him, or betray the very people whose faith and culture he has come to cherish.

With the fate of Montsegur hanging in the balance, Azemar and Azalaïs must confront the secrets of their past-and decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the future.

Spirit of Fire, the second book in the Orphans of Tolosa trilogy, is a sweeping work of historical fiction set against the final, desperate struggle of the Cathars in medieval southern France. Rich in historical detail, intrigue, and divided loyalties, it continues the story begun in Listen to the Wind.