The crown was never meant to be hers. The fire was never meant to be bound. In the aftermath of the Sovereign's fall, Seryth wears the Hollow's crown—a living relic of root and light that ties her to the land's oldest power. But the ember that nearly consumed the realm still breathes deep beneath the roots, and its hunger has only grown. When the pale tree at the basin begins to burn from within, Seryth is drawn into a final confrontation with a force that cannot be killed, only contained. To seal the ember, she must stand against the Heartflame—an ancient, burning will given form—and risk binding it through herself. Allies gather in the shadow of the basin: Kael, unshaken in his loyalty; Vale, quick as steel and just as sharp; Halric, steadfast with his bow; and Coren—the shadowed anti-hero whose aid may save her life or end it. Trust is fragile. Betrayal runs deep. And the cost of victory may be more than the crown can bear. The Hollow remembers every oath. And some bindings were never meant to be broken. Thorne of Echoes is the third book in the darkly atmospheric Crowned in Silence series, perfect for readers who love slow-burn tension, morally complex characters, and worlds where magic is as dangerous as it is beautiful.