The Knighthood Trials are supposed to be hard. They aren't supposed to be murder...Abyowith wants to join the Knights of the Exculpatory Order and fight miscreations—the magical creatures plaguing the country. She can ride, shoot, swordfight, and if she has some trouble using magic, well, she expects she can overcome that.She did not expect to need rescue by the very knights she wanted to join. Or that Marfolio, Captain of the mysterious Royal Stalkers, would take an interest in her. Or that she would fail the Knights' magical ability test.And she certainly wasn't expecting one of her fellow Initiates to be brutally murdered.Now, with suspicion falling on her, and her future in the Knights at stake, Abyowith must pass her magic test, learn what the Captain of the Stalkers wants, and discover who is killing the knight-initiates before they come after her..."A captivating world with an engaging, unconventional heroine. Intriguing, intense and fun!"—Shirley Meier, author of the Eclipse Court series.