The Broken Prism Series by V. St. Clair

Hayden spent the first twelve years of his life hearing about the infamous Dark Prism: his corrupted magic, his fractured mind, the towns that were destroyed during his dark experiments, the people he killed….But it wasn’t until Hayden’s childhood home exploded that he learned that the most evil mage in the Nine Lands was actually his father... moreHayden spent the first twelve years of his life hearing about the infamous Dark Prism: his corrupted magic, his fractured mind, the towns that were destroyed during his dark experiments, the people he killed….But it wasn’t until Hayden’s childhood home exploded that he learned that the most evil mage in the Nine Lands was actually his father.Now Hayden is being credited with the Dark Prism’s demise, even though he swears he doesn’t remember anything about the explosion that destroyed his home and killed his mother. All he wants to do is live a normal life, but after being sent to Mizzenwald for formal magical training, it’s obvious that that isn’t going to happen. Hayden tries to find a place for himself in a world left devastated by the Dark Prism, but with enemies around every corner and a defective dragon for an ally, things aren’t looking good.Surviving his first year of school becomes Hayden’s top priority, but will he have to follow in his father’s footsteps to succeed? less

After being arrested, living in the shadow of his father’s legacy, and being attacked by magical creatures and other mages alike, Hayden Frost was amazed that he survived his first year at Mizzenwald... moreAfter being arrested, living in the shadow of his father’s legacy, and being attacked by magical creatures and other mages alike, Hayden Frost was amazed that he survived his first year at Mizzenwald. At least he knew, going into his second year, that things couldn’t possibly get any worse…right? In the second book of The Broken Prism series, Hayden is confronted with a whole new set of problems: crowds cheering while he fights for his life against much more skillful mages; old enemies and new, determined to see him fail; watching his friends die, powerless to prevent it. Delving into his past becomes his only hope of surviving the future, and forging new alliances is more important than ever. Except that one of Hayden's greatest allies has been keeping a secret from him that will change everything… less

War comes to the Nine Lands when the sorcerers from the north invade the Forest of Illusions, determined to seize control of the magical stronghold. Rumors of the fighting reach Hayden’s ears, but fortunately the Forest is far away from Mizzenwald, so there’s no way the war can affect him… Of course, that’s only wishful thinking, and war is not the only thing for Hayden to contend with during his third year at Mizzenwald... moreWar comes to the Nine Lands when the sorcerers from the north invade the Forest of Illusions, determined to seize control of the magical stronghold. Rumors of the fighting reach Hayden’s ears, but fortunately the Forest is far away from Mizzenwald, so there’s no way the war can affect him… Of course, that’s only wishful thinking, and war is not the only thing for Hayden to contend with during his third year at Mizzenwald. After getting more than he bargains for at the Frost estate, a regime-change at school that robs him of his greatest allies, and combat lessons that leave him bruised and bloody, Hayden is desperate for things to return to normal. Then Bonk gets sick, and no one knows how to make him better. Hayden takes extreme measures to save his familiar, leaving Mizzenwald as a fugitive, with his name and crimes on posters throughout the Nine Lands as his enemies pursue him. His notoriety rivals the Dark Prism’s as he risks everything to save the ones he cares about. But will it be enough? less

The war is over, and Hayden is eager for his fourth year at Mizzenwald to be as relaxing and uneventful as possible. So naturally, it’s the craziest year he’s had at school yet: a winter holiday with his nemeses, a battle of wills against the most powerful mages on the continent, and some bad luck with a yeti are just the beginning of his problems. Hayden may have defeated the sorcerers of the north, but the Nine Lands are still feeling the aftermath of the battle in the Forest of Illusions... moreThe war is over, and Hayden is eager for his fourth year at Mizzenwald to be as relaxing and uneventful as possible. So naturally, it’s the craziest year he’s had at school yet: a winter holiday with his nemeses, a battle of wills against the most powerful mages on the continent, and some bad luck with a yeti are just the beginning of his problems. Hayden may have defeated the sorcerers of the north, but the Nine Lands are still feeling the aftermath of the battle in the Forest of Illusions. A schism is open at Mizzenwald, and the only way to close it involves entering a strange world of anti-magic and sacrificing all sanity. Now, Hayden is forced to make a choice between saving everyone he cares about and keeping his promise to never become like his father—because there is only one way to close a schism, and this time Hayden must confront his fears alone. less

Hayden returned from the realm of anti-magic tired, beaten, and shaking off the after-effects of insanity. The good news is that he managed to successfully close the schism behind him when he passed through. The bad news is that it seems he brought The Dark Prism with him. In the final installment of The Broken Prism series, Hayden learns that his father was not quite as dead as everyone spent the last five years thinking... moreHayden returned from the realm of anti-magic tired, beaten, and shaking off the after-effects of insanity. The good news is that he managed to successfully close the schism behind him when he passed through. The bad news is that it seems he brought The Dark Prism with him. In the final installment of The Broken Prism series, Hayden learns that his father was not quite as dead as everyone spent the last five years thinking. But has Aleric Frost's time in the other realm cured him of his mental distortion, or is he still poised to take over the Nine Lands once more? How did he even end up in the schism in the first place, and where has the Black Prism been all this time? These are just some of the questions that Hayden must find the answers to, but they pale in comparison to the thing that has been plaguing his imagination since the age of ten. Why did his father visit him on the day his mother died, and did he ever get what he was after? Hayden's life now depends on the answer. less