Beneath the Mask — David Ward

Suspenseful and engrossing, Beneath the Mask continues the story of Coriko,
 
Pippa, and the expanding world of Grassland. After escaping the deadly warrior Spears, Coriko is finally free to take his destiny into his own hands. But freedom proves elusive in the face of a new trial -- the Separation. At this horrible event, he learns the secret of one of Grassland's biggest mysteries: What lurks beneath the masks of the mysterious Spears?
 
Forced away from his beloved Pippa, Coriko is offered a comfortable life -- clothes, his own home, a community -- in exchange for committing unspeakable deeds. Trapped once again, Coriko must decide what he truly values, and what he's willing to do to protect his way of life.