The beginning of this story starts off a little slow, but once the world is established, and you get to know Ruby, it really picks up. At first, Ruby is nervous and scared, and why shouldn't she be? She's been hiding her whole life and they've taken everyone and everything from her. But she really comes into her own as the story continues. And then there's the romance. It's a bit of a slow burn. When you first meet Arcus he doesn't seem like a love interest. He's quiet, grumpy and repeatedly makes it known that he doesn't like having Ruby there. And in the beginning, Ruby feels the same way. But as they train together, they slowly begin to learn more about one another and their feelings begin to change. The development of their relationship was well done and a refreshing change from the instant romance often found in Young Adult fantasy.... 
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