Son of Avonar By Carol Berg

A violent fugitive who cannot speak, who has no past. A disgraced noblewoman who would rather forget her past. And a world of magic that has turned against both of them. Seriana Marguerite, daughter of a warrior house, once believed that intelligence, determination, and love could avert the consequences of youthful rebellion. She was wrong. Violating the singular tenet of the Four Realms—that sorcery and all who practice it must be reported and exterminated—brought torment and death to those closest to her. Only her family’s influence preserved her own life, a mercy for which she has never been thankful. Over the years Seri has adapted to poverty and exile, far from royal intrigues and the politics of power. But her bitter peace collapses on the day she encounters a half-mad fugitive—a man incapable of speech, yet skilled at violence. The discovery that one of his dead-eyed pursuers is the man responsible for the horrors of her past forces Seri onto a path of anguished memory and ancient riddles, a race to unravel the mysteries of the fugitive’s identity, his mission, and a looming danger that could shatter the very foundation of the world. “Berg exhibits her skill with language, world-building, and the intelligent development of the magic that affects and is affected by the characters. The first book of the Bridge of D’Arnath launches a promising new multivolume work that should provide much intelligent entertainment.”—Booklist “This is excellent dark fantasy with a liberal dash of court intrigue. Highly recommended.”—Broad Universe