Jean Johnson – The Flame

The seventh book in the Sons of Destiny series, published December 1, 2008.
Genre: fantasy romance
Cover: I don’t like his head



Eight brothers, born in four sets of twins, two years apart to the day – they fulfill the Curse of Eight Prophecy. Though no longer trapped in exile, their growing family faces new problems. Now that it’s his turn to look for a bride, the seventh-born brother burns with curiosity and anticipation…

Koranen of Nightfall is tired of the Curse – in his case, a destructive flame that courses beneath his flesh. His brothers have wives and lovers, but all Koranen has are blistering reminders of a touch that burns … unless he can find a woman able to endure the literal heat of his passion. Then the Aquamancers arrive, at last affording Koranen the chance to find his Destined Bride.
Ostracized for being too good at her job, Danau is resigned to her punishment: never knowing love. But fire and water always create steam, and things do get steamy as Danau and Koranen gradually realize they were meant for each other - even as Nightfall’s future becomes flooded with more trouble than either of them could have imagined.


This is Koranen’s story, the seventh brother. Koranen is a Firemage, he literally burns. He can use his bare hands while making glass or working in his forge, and he even occasionally sleeps in it, so it can drain away some of his body heat. Before their exile, as a youth he tried to court a maiden twice, only to end up with his handprints burned into her body. And so Koranen is a virgin, unable to make love to a real woman. Until he can find that rare woman who will be Water to his Flame.
So when they find out, there is a whole city beneath the Ocean, where Aquamancers are in abundance, there is some hope for him. Especially when they want to study the workings of the famous Desalination plant on Nightfall Island, with the intention of reproducing it for their own city. Morganen has negotiated for some single marriageable female Aquamancers, so his brother can find his destined Bride amongst them.

Danau is not interested at all in the handsome Firemage, she knows she will never be able to touch a man. Her touch literally freezes a man, giving him frostburn on parts of his body he really doesn’t want to be frostburned. The first two ladies that Koranen tries to date, soon find out his secret Curse, but they really dislike Danau for some obscure reason and don’t tell him that she is the one for him. They just point him to the fourth of them. And as Danau keeps turning him down, Morganen needs to step in to make Koranen persevere in his pursuit of all the Aquamages.

Together Koranen and Danau find out the secrets of the Desalinator, and they will be able to repair it so it can work on full capacity once more, which is necessary as the Island’s population keeps growing and growing.

But the Aquamancers came not alone to Nightfall Island. Their Council decided to get rid of all the recent shipwrecked persons they rescued, and amongst them are some bad apples. They know about Rora, and try to get to her for their own selfish reasons. A good woman gets murdered because of that.
But there is also a Priestess amongst them, who will be crucial in their task to resurrect the Convention of the Gods.


Another book filled with action, magic and love. Both Koranen and Danau are lonely, they know they will not be able to make love to a real human being, because of their powers. They can’t be kept under control when feeling desire or other strong feelings. So when they finally find out about the other, they know they are Destined to be together. And so happy not to be alone anymore.

Both Koranen and Danau have thrown themselves into their work, becoming the best there is in their field. And they can admire that devotion in the other. Together their powers are even stronger than alone, and I do wonder what their future will hold. Perhaps there is some more in the new series, the Guardians of Destiny.

I totally disliked Danau’s cousin and friend, for the way they kept hurting Danau out of pure jealousy. They sure got what they deserved when Kelly judged them.

I just keep loving those books, and I think they will be re-read again in a few years time.

The Seventh Son shall he decree:
Burning bright and searing hot
You shall seek that which is not
Mastered by desire’s name
Water shall control the Flame

9 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian