LaDarrion Williams wrote the first draft of Blood at the Root in 12 days. Little did he know the impact that the book will have two years later as we now head into the final book in the trilogy. But he’s certainly not going out without making a big splash and reminding all of us the importance of this series and Malik’s story.
Cosmopolitan has an exclusive first-look at LaDarrion Williams’s Ashes at the Altar, which is set to be released on September 15, 2026. As we head back for one last semester at Caiman University, Malik will have to fight against two different sides of his own self and his ancestry as Marinette grows more powerful and his own magic is on the line. Here’s some more info from our friends at Labryinth Road:
At a hidden magical HBCU a teen boy must confront evil spirits, family secrets and tested loyalties. In this haunting finale to the New York Times bestselling Blood at the Root trilogy, bloodlines, betrayal, and legacy collide in a battle that may cost everything.
Malik Baron has learned a lot since he first came to Caiman University: History is power. Family is more than just blood. You can’t escape your past. And magic always comes with a price.
But nothing he’s been taught could have prepared him for what this semester will bring. Even after he risked it all to trap the evil spirit Marinette that has been possessing his mother, her power continues to grow. And with her and the Bokors still at large, the cracks in the magical community have reached a breaking point. Just as Malik begins to get to know his father’s family, the Bonclairs’ power is challenged, leaving him to decide where his loyalties lie. And it’s not just the future of Caiman at stake, but the very magic that runs in his veins.
In the propulsive and emotional conclusion to this powerful trilogy, the future and the family Malik has fought so hard to build and protect is in greater danger than ever. But with the power of ancestors and the strength of his loved ones behind him, can he fight for what the world has always said is impossible for a Black boy like him—a happy ending?
Before we can find out how it all ends, we have to absolutely check out the book’s official cover which definitely proves that it’s all going down in a blaze of glory.
“I am overjoyed to unveil the new book cover for Ashes at the Altar. From the beginning, I set out to write a young adult fantasy series centered on a young Black boy who is allowed tenderness, vulnerability, softness, and flaw,” LaDarrion exclusively shared with Cosmopolitan. “Within these pages, a chapter of his fragile seventeen years is held, preserved, and made eternal.”
“I extend my deepest gratitude to designers Hillary D. Wilson and Liz Dresner for transforming that vision into something breathtaking. To place a beautiful Black boy on the cover of a fantasy novel felt not only intentional but necessary,” LaDarrion continued. “I am endlessly thankful to my publishers for creating the space for this work to exist and for allowing us to craft something that will be firmly etched into the legacy of the young adult genre.”
As the novel brings the incredible and mesmerizing Blood at the Root trilogy to a stunning end, LaDarrion offers one last message to fans as we all prepare to say goodbye.
“In the same way characters like Percy Jackson once stared back at me from bookstore shelves, my hope is that every young Black boy or man who wanders those aisles finds himself reflected there in power, in magic, and in undeniable glory,” he said.
And you can see it for yourself when Ashes at the Altar is released later this year. Just make sure to pre-order the final novel in the trilogy and also catch up on the rest of the series before the final showdown.
Ashes at the Altar, by LaDarrion Williams will be released on September 15, 2026 from Labryinth Road. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice:
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