This series plunges into a world of dark intrigue and dangerous secrets. A young woman finds herself caught in a web of political machinations, forced to rely on her wits and courage to survive. It offers a thrilling blend of magic, romance, and betrayal that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. This is a story about inner strength and discovering one's identity in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace, and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster.
You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster. With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But though she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways, and her newfound friends and relatives don't think it's for the better.
The apprenticeship is over and now the real test has begun. When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder, able to capture and release souls, spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena's unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena's fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before.