The Seeds of Vermillion - E. S. Barrison - Bog

Knoll has fallen. The towers have left.
And the Forest Queen has awoken.
A month after Knoll's fall, Bria awakes in the Necrowood, her body entwined with the forest. With little recollection of the events that led to Knoll's collapse, she turns to her estranged mother for answers. Yet beneath these answers harbor further questions about the reaches of her magic and the depths to which it is tied to her past.
Trapped in the Library of Mist Keepers, Brent jumps between stories, trying to find a new sense of identity after embracing the mist. He begins to unravel the mysteries of the Council and the threat they place on the entire world. Yet, if he cannot find a way to escape the Library, all the knowledge he collected will be for nothing.
As new answers emerge from the shadows, Brent and Bria must determine the next steps in their journey and plant the seeds for their success. With the Order of the Effluvium and the Council of Mist Keepers forming an alliance, the two must also decide their roles in the upcoming battle. Will they be able to see each other again before it is too late? Or will they be forced to fight on different sides of Life and Death?
Content Warnings: This book is rated 16+ for mentions and depictions of death, assault, sexual content, adult language, violence, alcohol & drug use, police brutality, child abuse, and psychological abuse/trauma.