"What the hell?" I took a step closer to the mirror, staring at my reflection in disbelief. The person looking back was still me, but at the same time it wasn't. I had the same thick, dark, curly hair. The same hazel eyes. The same olive skin with a light dusting of freckles (ugh) scattered across the bridge of my nose. But my curls were now streaked with highlights. And not the subtle, golden-brown ones that sometimes appeared during the summer. No, these were an aggressive, dazzling blond that went from the roots of my hair all the way to the tips. It looked like I had spent a full day getting my hair done in some upscale salon. Never mind that I had never set foot in such a place since the day I was born. My eyes appeared somehow wider and more luminous. The colour brighter, my eyelashes darker up against them. And, when I looked closely, my pupils seemed to be slitted almost like a cat. I looked down at my body. My skinny arms-which had always refused to gain any definition no matter how hard I exercised-were lined with flat, wiry muscles. My bony shoulders were now curved and smooth. My scrawny legs were toned like a dancer. I reached down and lifted my shirt, revealing two subtle lines running vertically down my perfectly flat stomach, hinting at the rock-hard abs underneath. My whole body was rippling with strength. Like liquid steel.

WATTYS 2016 WINNER Untouchable. Stone. Jewel - these are some of the names used for people who are born with a gemstone at the centre of their forehead. This unfortunate phenomenon cannot be detected before birth, it cannot be prevented, if a family has a Jewelled child, there is only one outcome: Before they're sixteen, they will have to leave human society forever and serve "the Zephyr". Among the Jewels there are those who have it worse. Those who sport clear diamonds on their foreheads, the Undefined. The downtrodden, the unlucky - the doomed. Cello Riles and Syianne Locke are both Undefined. On their sixteenth birthday, they each leave their homes and travel across the country to the Zephyr, attempting to go into service. Though aside from the place, or thing, that will take them from human society forever - what IS the Zephyr? There are only questions promised, only shadowy riddles guaranteed. Yet faced with no other choice they must venture forth and plunge into the unknown - the Zephyr. [A big thanks to @stpolishook for being a wonderful friend and helping me figure out how to write a better synopsis] COVER BY Abyss-of-Crazy

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. Phoenix Knight is one of the last remaining guardians in Braskey. Born to keep peace and defend the weak, Phoenix has spent her sixteen years hidden away with an adoptive family that is nowhere near as simple as it seems. Hiding away has her itching to embrace her true identity as a guardian, but when tragedy strikes, she'll be forced down a path she never thought to take. Armed with her wit and a heart full of hope, Phoenix will set out to change everything: from the lowest serving girl right up to the king who sits on the throne. Before she can face the king and his dark sorceress, Phoenix will have to get past a former friend and now her greatest enemy. The strongest leader ever to rise in the King's Army. Commander Eric Lee.

Destiny isn't always what it seems. Phoenix Knight, one of the last Guardians of Braskey, now knows the truth. Her brother by birth, Ares, is walking the earth, oblivious to the truth of who he is. Her adoptive brother, Maverick, is the heir to the Braskian throne. Phoenix, Maverick, and their friends have one mission in mind - find the Militia, join them, and stop King Bainon and his sorceress queen, Narissa, from their tyranny over Braskey. When they reach the Militia, however, they'll learn that a traitor hides within their midst. Commander Eric Lee's life has been upended, and as he goes through confusing and unexpected changes, he'll have to question everything he's ever been told. But will the truth be enough to set him free? Or will a dark purpose cloud his path? Join Phoenix, Eric, and the rest as they discover new truths and uncover even more lies in this second novel in the Phoenix Chronicles.

The battle at Osha castle is won, and the Militia now holds tentative power over Braskey. Roman Treck leads under Lady Helena's counsel and Aundreya Leyera's attentive caresses, but deep inside he knows something is wrong. A tickling feeling reminds him that all is not what it seems, and dreams remind him of the friends he once had. Noelle Leyera lies scarred in a dungeon, slave to her twin sister's cruel, manipulative games. But the longer Noelle stays in the dungeon, the deeper she dives into an untapped power that might be her only hope for salvation. Maverick Knight and Gwen Tremaine are on the run with Maverick's Watcher, Finny, and the mysterious Lieutenant Port. Stay hidden to stay alive -- that's the game. But all of them know there will come a time when they must return to Osha and face Helena once again. A time when it will mean death for one and crowning achievement for the other. Eric Lee has lost everything: his love, his family, and his position as commander of the Army. There's nothing worth living for, and he feels his insides going cold, his humanity slipping away. With the cold comes a darkness, a wickedness he didn't know possible. Phoenix Knight has given her life for those she loves, but she isn't done yet. With the help of the Watchers Altair and Castor, Phoenix must save not only her brothers but find a little boy who holds the key to the destruction of the ultimate traitor. Phoenix must reunite with her friends and family to pull off the ultimate coup--to destroy an Ancient more powerful than even Castor or Altair, a traitor hiding in plain sight.