Jack Cruse

Kailynn has spent her life believing she is nobody.
After the death of her parents, Kailynn was raised on a remote farm by her father's brother who treats her more like a burden than family. Every day she dreams of little more than a full meal and a chance at a better life. But when a mysterious noblewoman named Sera Beaufort arrives and reveals that Kailynn's past is built on secrets, everything she thought she knew begins to unravel.
At first the voice comes to her like an angel in one of her most desperate moments. Soothing, calming and strengthening. Soon, the velvet gives way to reveal desperate claws that end up trying to drag her down into the darkness of her mind and imprison her in her own body.
Hunted by powerful enemies and haunted by the murder of her closest friend, Kailynn is thrust into a dangerous world of kings, conspiracies, and forgotten legends. As she flees across a fractured island, she discovers she may be the last surviving descendant of the Ash King—the ancient ruler who once united the Empire of Everwind before a dying wizard's curse shattered their dynasty.
With an infamous bard turning her story into legend and a deadly swordsman sworn to protect her, Kailynn must learn the art of politics, survival, and leadership before those hunting her close the distance. Every ally may hide an agenda. Every kingdom of the old empire holds secrets. And somewhere in the shadows lies the truth about the curse that has haunted her bloodline for centuries.