Second Place Winner in BookFest's book awards for Action/Adventure and Magic, Myths, and Legends

Rose Trewin is on the run, trying to escape her past as a spy and desperate for a quiet life. After a fateful encounter on the road she is forced to carry a message to the king and warn him of forces plotting to end his life and take his kingdom. She is thrown into a world of courtly intrigue, political machinations, and a king who asks too many questions. However, Rose has a deeper secret than her life as a spy; a magic she tries to keep hidden. Her ability to walk among the shadows, disappear into the darkness has its advantages, but in a country where magic is feared and distrusted, it's also a liability.

King Micah Ellsworth knows someone is plotting against him. He just doesn't know who, exactly. When a strange woman with secrets and defiance in her eyes arrives in his court, she seems the perfect person to uncover the plot.

Soon, both realize more is at stake when dark forces fueled by a similar magic to Rose's appear. The two must work together to find who is behind the plots, forcing Rose to share secrets and to question her loyalties, her magic, and the power she wields.

Candace Bennett

Stem