Artirsic
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- Parts 48
BOOK 1 OF THE MARKED DUOLOGY
Syerin Cayde has spent her life in the shadows, a deadly assassin who knows how to survive in a world that shows no mercy. But everything changes when a cursed mark - the Bloodmark - burns itself into her skin during a mission gone wrong. It's a symbol of power, of destiny, and of death - a mark that hasn't been seen in centuries. A curse that if found by anyone would end with her death.
There have been legends, rumours, that the Bloodmark was the mark of the Goddess of Blood and if one bear the mark, they would have one of the god's power. However, it is also said that the power is enough to make one explode, die. Now hunted by forces she doesn't understand, Syerin is dragged to Ironspire, a fortress where the Ascension Trials unfolds. The prize? The crown of Velthar - and unimaginable power. The cost? Everything.
Forced into a deadly competition alongside warriors, heirs, and monsters, Syerin must fight to keep her secret hidden. But as the mark begins to awaken, whispering of the ancient gods imprisoned beneath Ironspire, Syerin realises the tournament is a game far more dangerous than anyone knows.
And then there's the matter of the Knox Brothers. Three brothers. The royals. The heirs to the throne. The oldest one in particular. She knows something is off about him. That there is something coursing in his veins that isn't just blood. Drawn to him in a way, Syerin can't understand, will the trials be her end? Or will the war that she fights against her feelings do it for her?
Allies become enemies, love and betrayal blur into one, and the mark's power begins to consume her. To survive, Syerin must decide: Will she embrace the curse that could save Velthar or destroy it?