Blood at the Root

LaDarrion Williams

At Caiman University, Malik Baron has uncovered the power of history, family, and magic—but the knowledge he has gained may not be enough for the trials ahead. As a dangerous spirit’s influence spreads and tensions fracture the magical community, Malik must navigate revelations about his father’s family, shifting loyalties, and a threat that reaches beyond the university itself. Blending African diasporic magic, ancestral power, and the vibrant legacy of an HBCU, this emotionally charged young adult fantasy explores identity, belonging, resilience, and the cost of protecting the people—and future—you love. It is a propulsive and haunting conclusion to a celebrated trilogy about a Black boy fighting to claim a life the world has long told him he could not have.