my prediction for blades 2 is that it'll feel more like mal's story. not necessarily how other LIs were sidelined in favor of ramsey in open heart 2 onwards, but more similar to how book 1 was "nia's story" in andrew's words. his character art is the biggest in the book 2 cover (nia's was the largest in book 1's) and is coincidentally placed on the dark side of the cover. according to some fanmade surveys he's also the most romanced blades LI so that might also be a sign that they're making him more of a focus in book 2.
i also expect there to be more of a nuanced take on light and shadow. in the sneak peek to book 2 the watcher says that everything had a place in the balance of things, including the shadow realm and shadow in general. things aren't inherently bad or good; they just are, and it's how light and shadow magic are used that they can be "good" or "bad" (see: the temple's bastardization of the values of light and the shadow court's extreme sadism).
i also find the price of using both light and shadow magic interesting - to use light magic you have to give up your life force/body while for shadow magic you can easily live forever (as in the case of the shadow court) but you slowly lose yourself and your mind/sanity. this dichotomy is super interesting to explore and i am expecting them to explore it with nia and aerin. nia's already had her major crisis of faith and self-discovery in book 1 so i don't expect that to be too much of a focus in book 2 as much as i am expecting her to work with shadow magic or come to terms that it might be as "good" as the light, whether this is by working with aerin or by having side effects from hosting the dreadlord.
