A dragon's scale, a tile from the abandoned temple, an arrow from the Rakaron Kingdom, a writ of a noble, and a flower from the Field of Death. These are the items the king demands of competitors in the GoulCrest Games, and its victors will be awarded a prize most Vestovians can only dream of: lordship.

For Pria, exiled from her traditionalist family of nomadic warriors, the GoulCrest Games are a chance to prove she is the best fighter Rancor Clan has ever produced. For Tayla, a starving peasant girl, they are a chance to find the safety and comfort she was denied in childhood. For Ranto, a rebel-scholar cast out of the dwarven Undergrounds, they are a chance to honor the memory of his beloved. And for Jaze, a half-Rakaron wanderer, they are a chance to finally find acceptance.

Though their bond begins shakily and is riddled with mistrust, these four black sheep of their respective communities eventually tighten into a found family prepared to face the perils of the Games-and, eventually, of GoulCrest itself.

Content Warning: assault, rape, death, depression, emotional abuse, physical abuse, racism. Reader discretion is advised. This book may not be suitable for everyone. Reader discretion is advised,