A kingdom in the brink of war. A heart so fierce and a will unbroken. And a darkness, rising. In the kingdom of Martel, every generation a competition is held. The Parade of Bones, where the first born child of the most prominent and powerful witch clans are summoned to the palace to best each other in a series of trials of magic and wit. Ariadne, the bastard daughter of Lord Miller Wentworth, had always longed and dreamt of joining the competition. Not only does she have the will, she too has a burning power within her. The only problem is that she is not fit to be a novice. But destiny favors only the bold. And Ariadne is beyond bold. Price has a power, and Ariadne is willing to go at lengths to claim what she thinks is rightfully hers. But as Ariadne climbs the ladder, dark forces are at work. And as Ariadne fights for her place in the court, she soon realizes that there is more to what she bargained for.