klwilliams

Two young women not quite at the age of majority find their lives unexpectedly intertwined. One is a duelist for a rich Baron, the other is the Baron's goddaughter. The Baron is in ill health, and his presumptive heir is hovering, like all the best sharks do. The women find that they share some interests, in particular scholarship surrounding the mysteries of the saints. There are ancient writings describing how you can design a prayer or invocation in order to encourage the saints to heed your plea, and some people are known to have a gift that lets them see the saints' reply.

These two women find themselves together in a world of intrigue in the early eighteen hundreds in the European country of Alpennia. They will need their wits, their courage, and each other to navigate the dangerous waters they find themselves in.

This book has many elements I adore in fiction: orphans with secret backgrounds, duels of honor, magic with a basis in history, all played out among lavish dance balls and scholarly guild work. I loved it, and I hope you will too.