A CHILD SHUNNED BY THE STARS . . .

Raised in the mountains amongst a fierce sisterhood of elite warriors, Sinadine longs to prove her worth to her people, and dreams of glory at the edge of a sword she has yet to earn. But when the emperor dies and an imperial escort is sent to collect its customary tribute of three girls to serve the new heir, to be free of her curse, Sinadine is given an ultimatum: offer herself in service, or face banishment from her clan, if she refuses.

Furious that she must sacrifice her dreams of glory for chains to the empire that enslaved them, Sinadine is thrust into a dangerous web of imperial politics, where she conspires to assassinate the emperling before the crown can touch his head.

Easy enough for A GIRL TOUCHED BY DARKNESS . . .

The emperling is the last son of a dying line. If she succeeds, her clan and all future generations will be free from tyranny but it she fails, Sinadine will be executed for treason-and her entire clan along with her. Failure is not an option, and while threats lurk in every corner, the biggest obstacle that stands between her and victory is Navarre: the emperling's bastard brother-and loyal Second Commander of the Imperial Army.