A Dash of Devilry — Marie Andreas

You have begun your Challenge. Be fleet of mind, gentle of foot, and strong of heart. Blessings of the oracles be upon you.So begins the Challenge that every royal in Astarious has had to complete to be able to be declared an heir to the throne.It must be begun before their twenty-first birthday and they can't be told of prior Challenges.Piallen has waited impatiently through her two older sister's Challenges. Waiting for the day that she would not only face her own, but be able to hear their stories.Piallen prefers training with sword and bow out in the woods over anything that takes place indoors. Her excitement at her impeding Challenge is based more on being able to prove her skills worthy, than any real love of wanting to be declared heir. She has a feeling that being an heir will involve a lot more indoor time whether she wants it or not.A shocking betrayal and attack from within the palace itself throw all of the careful preparations for her Challenge off and reveals unknown secrets about Piallen and the mysterious magic leak she's had since she was a child.Fighting off the attackers, she finds herself pulled into a strange land by a powerful and attractive sword wielding mage-but it wasn't from the oracles.After a rousing sword fight, she, the mage, and her grigeen companion find themselves flung into another land. One where former allies turned enemies are mounting a massive attack.To destroy Astarious.