Orphan Ciardis Vane’s impoverished existence changes when a Court Companion comes through town and offers her a chance to join the Companions Guild. Ciardis learns that Companions are not just for decoration and destined for a life of leisure, but are instruments of power for the right Patron. As she trains in both the gentle and martial Companion arts, Ciardis discovers that she possesses a rare kind of magic that has not been seen in the empire for decades. While participating in the Patron Hunt, Ciardis stumbles upon a treasonous plot to overthrow the Emperor. Can Ciardis attract a suitable Patron and unmask the villain behind the conspiracy? (NLA DIGITAL LLC, Apr. ’13, 244 pp, $17.99, ISBN: 9781620512074, HC, 12 & Up)

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