What You Can Expect from Book Four: The Trials of Merlin

By the time you reach The Trials of Merlin, the world of The Druid and the Falcon has changed—and so have its heroes.

Toby, Fay, and Arty are no longer simply reacting to prophecy or scrambling to survive ancient forces waking around them. They are being shaped. Watched. Tested. And for the first time, asked not just whether they can wield power—but whether they should.

Book Four marks a turning point in the series.

The stakes are no longer theoretical. King Arthur’s shadow stretches long across Avalon and the modern world alike, and the legends Toby has spent his life circling can no longer be kept at arm’s length. Merlin’s presence—ancient, elusive, and never entirely kind—forces each of them into trials designed to reveal truth rather than grant comfort.

These are not trials of strength alone.

Each character faces a distinct path: a Trial of action and consequence, a Trial of loyalty and love, and a Trial of perception and foresight. Together, they form a crucible that strips away easy answers and exposes hidden fractures within the group. Victories come at a cost. Failure leaves marks that don’t fade when the magic does.

For Fay, the trials challenge her identity as a witch and as mentor to Toby's leadership, testing whether her power comes from control—or trust. For Arty, courage is no longer about charging forward, but about knowing when strength becomes stubbornness. And for Toby, whose connection to Arthurian legend has always felt like both inheritance and burden, the trials force him to confront an uncomfortable truth: destiny does not ask permission.

Readers can expect the return of familiar allies and enemies, deeper insight into Avalon’s ancient structures, and the steady, ominous rise of forces waiting just beyond the edge of the trials. The Mad Monk remains a looming presence—calculating, patient, and dangerously informed—while Griselda’s influence coils through the margins, reminding us that knowledge is often the sharpest weapon of all.

Tonally, The Trials of Merlin balances wonder and danger, humour and consequence. There are moments of warmth and camaraderie, sharp dialogue and flashes of levity—but they exist alongside moral uncertainty and the growing weight of responsibility. This is a book about preparation rather than resolution, about becoming rather than arriving.

Above all, Book Four asks a single, persistent question: when the legends finally demand their due, who will these characters choose to be?

The Trials of Merlin doesn’t end the journey—but it ensures there is no turning back.