Their first mistake was not killing her when they had the chance.
Former slave girl, Yanelle N'kwai, struck a devil's bargain. An alliance with her enemies will teach her the ways of power and vengeance - but Yanelle's need for justice may grow into a greater monster yet... herself.
Yanelle N'kwai was an ordinary fourteen-year-old village girl. That all changed with a one-fated encounter. When the Divine Khan of the Odian empire saw Yanelle, he desired to have her for himself, going so far as to offer her father bags of gold to claim her. His offer was immediately rejected. The result of this defiance, assassins were sent to claim her.
They killed everyone she knew.
Taken prisoner, Yanelle ultimately surrendered to her fate. But, before she could be given to the Divine Khan, she was saved by Abbot Oktai Liu, a well-known war priest and devoted follower of the 3Gods accompanied by his slave, Ilse Weber, Druid of the fallen kingdom of Stamm. Under their tutelage, she is trained in the arts of war and magic.
Sadly, the Divine Khan's memory is long, and his spite is unfettered by reason.
Given a suicide mission, Yanelle and her new arban are sent to kill a child with red eyes presumed to be the daughter of the Great Witch, the bringer of the apocalypse. Yanelle very nearly rejects the mission until she sees the roster. The assassins who slaughtered her village will be present.
With a heart filled with rage and revenge, Yanelle wants nothing more than to go on this or any mission that will get her close to these murderers. Willing to sacrifice everything to end the lives of these men, even if it means destroying her own soul to do it, Yanelle must carefully orchestrate their deaths while avoiding the wrath of the Divine Khan upon her newfound family.
A thoughtful, inspiring, and bloody historical fantasy centered in ancient Asia will keep you reading until the last page. If you liked Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi and Under Heaven, by Guy Gavriel Kay, you will love, Harule Stokes', The Great Witch.
