Fantasy. Fiction. Literature. HTML:Under the rule of a usurper king, the realm of Skala has suffered famine, plague, and invasion. But now the time for the rightful heir has come, a return to the tradition of warrior queens. And the Lightbearerâ??s prophecy is to be upheld at last: so long as a daughter of the royal line defends and rules, Skala will never be subjugated.

Now a mystical fire has burned away the male body known as Prince Tobin, revealing Princess Tamír, a girl on the verge of womanhoodâ??and a queen ready to claim her birthright after a life in disguise under the protection of wizards and witches. But will her people, her armyâ??and the friends she was forced to deceiveâ??accept her? Worse, will the crownâ??s rival heir, friend to Tobin, turn foe to Tamír, igniting civil war in a fierc