For readers of Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Tamora Pierce's Tortall Series, comes a brand-new epic fantasy adventure with twists, turns, magic, and mayhem! In this fourth book in the Birthright series, Mae has escaped from her bonds thanks to an ally she never saw coming but betrayal is behind every door and as family secrets come into the light, she must fight to emerge from the darkness with her mind intact. Her home is overrun, her holding is in ruins, and her family is scattered. Maeryn Darnes never imagined the day would come when she was running for her life to flee from her own castle walls. But when the opportunity to escape presents itself she doesn't hesitate. Mae is willing to fight and battle whoever may come because she now knows freedom is as precious as life in a world that doesn't care about either. But in her haste to escape and rescue those family members she led into a slaughter, Mae stumbles upon magic like she has never seen before. Calling upon newfound powers brings unstable results and as she uses those gifts Mae herself begins to fall apart at the seams. Knowing that she and her sister could be the only hope for a family that has been set up by wolves, Mae works to move past the darkness rising from within. But even she never imagined just how much the darkness of her gifts would cripple her and place a target on her back for all the world to see. The kingdom of Nardes has taken note of disturbances in the borderlands, and the nobles in the capitol aren't happy. Before long Mae will realize, she isn't just fighting to save her family anymore. She's fighting to maintain their independence from forces greater than even she could have imagined.