Unbound

Confluence Academy, Book 1

Nineteen-year-old Nessa Thorne expects death when she volunteers for Empire's selection. Instead, she's thrust into Confluence Academy, where students harness elemental magic and bond powerful beasts—from wolves to ancient dragons—forging themselves into the Empire's most lethal weapons.

Students are branded by affinity: water, air, earth, or fire. But Nessa's mark is different. A silver spiral—the mark of an unbound. It's a power so dangerous her kind were hunted to extinction centuries ago—or so the Empire claims.

To survive, she must hide what she is in a castle that reeks of blood, where students kill each other for advantage, and failing to tether an elemental means death.

Nessa's greatest threat may be the only other volunteer—Raith Hollow, a powerful fire affinity whose scorching gaze follows her every move and whose secrets could topple kingdoms.

Alliances are forged in blood, enemies circle like vultures, and forbidden desires close in. Death once seemed like a release from her tragic past. Now it's not an option. She'll embrace her terrible potential or watch everything she's fought for burn.

At Confluence Academy, students leave as weapons... or they don't leave at all.

A delicious slow-burning romance as dangerous as the magic? Check. A final line that will haunt you for weeks? Double check. An ending that will leave you desperate for book two? Absolutely.

©2025 Penelope Bloom (P)2025 Podium Audio

The chance to make every thing right through out the story.

I love the book but I hate that I didn’t check prior for the other books because I would not have purchased it without the rest of the series being written and released.

The story in general is entertaining

The narrator was so terrible, I almost stopped reading several times because of her. Once the male narrators came in at the very end of the book it was so much better but it was a tough listen because of her

fantastic!

wonderful book. saw TikToks about it and had to give it a listen. highly recommend.

FMC narrator ruins the story

the female narrator is overly dramatic and sounds like she's gritting her teeth and angry the whole book. it's too much. I have 2 hours left and so dar, there's been zero male narration. the story is good, b ut I cant finish it because of her. so much for this one.

The twist

Very much enjoyed this book, some parts seems a little repetitive with NES’s thoughts, more romance driven vs focused on what seemed to be right in front of her! I had parts of it figured out quickly, others not so much.