Essential Magic

The combination kept me guessing but also made the magical elements feel more layered. I'm curious whether this was planned from the start or evolved during writing.

I loved how the magic had rules but also mysteries of its own, yet I occasionally felt lost. Did the author build a detailed lore behind the scenes?

Some characters seemed trustworthy but then revealed hidden agendas, which made me question everything. How did others interpret their trustworthiness?