The Compass of the Soul
{4.5/5} “How consensus was reached is unknown, but somehow it was eventually accepted that the catastrophe would result from the arts or their practice. How else could they have arrived at the decision to erase the arts from this world? To hide their last vestiges for the good of the earth, perhaps for the good of mankind?”
The Compass of the Soul by Sean Russell, published in 1998
Anna has retrieved the seeds from the cavern that will allow her to become a mage. Lady Chilton has chosen to go with Eldrich in order to avoid her fate as an old woman. Erasmus finds out that Percy, his childhood friend, is alive and working for Eldrich. Percy tells him that he must find Anna, and tell Eldrich when he does.
This is the sequel to Beneath the Vaulted Hills.
The ending is a bit too ambiguous for my taste, but the details of the story are absorbing.
I’ve read 6 books by Russell. I will read at least 3 more.