The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima 586 pages

This is the sequel to The Demon King in the Seven Realms series.Han Alister, former gangleader and a somewhat reluctant wizard escaped pursuit but needs to complete magical training. He meets Raisa, a runaway princess who rejects her intended suitor and wants to learn warcraft to claim her royal heritage. Both need to avoid the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family. They meet in a neutral university town of Oden's Ford. Shifting alliances and shadowy figures with enigmatic agendas make life difficult for both. The characters are multifaceted in this dense, richly woven fantasy.