The Power of Runes

Olivia Antonius is chained in the hold of a storm-stricken slave ship when rune-marked warriors board it.

They cut the captives free and carry them by boat into Stelix, a hidden jungle kingdom guarded by giant panthers. Its rulers save her life, then refuse to let a citizen of Kalton leave with the secret of their existence.

Olivia's only chance of escape is to become one of them. To earn a rider's runes, she must survive brutal training and win the trust of Ashka, the most feared panther in the kingdom.

Desperate to reach her missing family, Olivia sends a message to the husband she believes will rescue her. Instead, Lucan turns her plea into a map for Kalton's invasion.

Now the Empire is coming for Stelix's magic. If Olivia cannot help stop the invasion she enabled, the kingdom that saved her will fall, and everyone who feared her will be proved right.