In the lovely land of Astarious, the Challenge marks all royals who would seek to rule the kingdom. Before their twenty-first birthday they must submit to the will of the oracles to be sent on an adventure.Most of the time, they return from their Challenge stronger, wiser, and far more experienced than when they left. Sometimes they come back broken in body or mind.Sometimes they don't come back at all. As the eldest of three royal sisters and the most powerful spell singer in generations, Princess Lizeth has her fortunate life all planned out: claim her place as heir to the throne, choose a perfect man of royal blood as is the law, and someday ascend as queen.All she must do is pass her Challenge-a lonely, dangerous test of her magic, her ambition, and her very spirit.But before she can prove herself, Lizeth and her two sisters find themselves caught up in intrigue, mayhem, and an alarming number of dead bodies. With the king and queen gone on a vital diplomatic mission, Lizeth is determined to protect her family and her palace.Until the oracles of the Challenge whisk her away unexpectedly.Except she isn't alone. In contradiction of everything she's been told, she finds herself in a strange land with her animal companion plus an annoyingly mysterious-and annoyingly handsome-woodsman. And the Challenge isn't only hers: the fate of her someday kingdom and more may be at stake.The trio must discover why they've been summoned so far from home if they ever want to find their way back, and Lizeth must risk everything she holds dear-including her magic-without falling for the man fighting at her side.Her future has never been so uncertain. And it's not just her future...