What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

***SPOILERS***

I remember a man having the ability to break down objects or restore them based on their original elements purpose. It's like he can touch something and see all the potentials of what it could have been and change its history, which changes its current state. For example, he can take old furniture or architecture, touch it, feel what it could have been, and restore it to the beautiful object it once was and/or could have been created to be. I think he has to encourage the elements to change and restore, so some are more resistant if their history was fairly fixed. I remember him being locked in a room (a castle?), in an old part of the building, and he was able to transform his shabby accommodations into a beautiful room using the old furniture that was left in it. The power might involve blood magic, or there is another magic that uses blood to bind and seal him in the room. I think that is how they keep him there. Hopefully that is not from a different book, lol.

I remember the man the most, but I think he also trains a girl who has the power to do this, or something similar, as well?? I want to say she might be the main character of the book, because I think he dies at some point, or at least thinks he is dead. She is sneaking through the castle, possibly as an assassin (I think I remember her trying to kill the king and having to escape). I think she runs into this man, or is trying specifically to find him, as she is sneaking through the castle. She finds him, and they are able to escape through the floor, because they break down the elements of the stone. They escape through disused rooms in the castle with old furniture and things.

I want to say the, or he at least, is imprisoned at some point, but their captors got smart, and made the walls of the prison from the most pure stone possible such that its history was never anything but stone, and they couldn't break it down. But of course, one imperfection is found and they are able to use that to escape after some time. It took a lot of energy and effort to accomplish this feat though.

I don't remember any names of characters or what the book cover looks like. The setting is a made up world, fantasy, with castles and magic. No modern tech I don't think. I would have read it within the last 5 years, and it most likely did not come out more than 10 years ago. I scanned through my read books list, but did not see one in which I could remember a power like that.

Amy, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

I did finally find this! It was a short story I read by Brandon Sanderson called The Emperor’s Soul

Great! Glad you found your story, Amy. Here's the link - The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson.

Super.