The tethered mage (2017)

Amalia's attempt to stop a magical disaster binds her to Zaira, whose dangerous ability makes her valuable to the state. Their partnership exposes a military system that treats gifted people as controlled resources. Caruso puts the moral problem inside an engaging adventure: public safety and imperial advantage are powerful reasons to overlook another person's freedom. The first Swords and Fire novel, with diplomacy becoming increasingly important as the sequence develops.