Sword and Verse — Kathy MacMillan

A DEADLY SECRET. A TRAITOROUS MISSION.
AND AN UNLIKELY HEROINE STANDING AT THE BRINK OF WAR.

Kidnapped and sold into slavery as a child, Raisa has only distant memories of her homeland. She knows she is descended from a people for whom reading and writing are part of daily life. In the kingdom where Raisa now lives, however, these skills are so fiercely guarded that only four people are allowed to learn language to its full extent: the King, Prince, Tutor, and Tutor-in-training. So when Raisa is chosen to be the next Tutor-in-training -- the highest honor a slave could be granted in the palace -- she knows that if anyone finds out about her past, it could mean death.

If that wasn't enough, a romance blossoms between Raisa and Prince Mad -- one that they are just barely keeping under wraps. Then the Resistance, an underground army of slaves who share Raisa's background, approaches her, hoping to use her position in the palace to help foment a rebellion. Conflicted, Raisa must choose between freeing her people, which will start a battle against her beloved, and remaining compliant in this cycle of injustice. Debut author Kathy MacMillan weaves a captivating tale of war, political intrigue, and the boldness of a slave girl who has the power to bring the entire kingdom to its knees.