Adrastea: Book 1 in the Annals of Orbis

Evil has entered Ellestar, royal city of the antlered Cievan people. The life of Adrastea, wilful and attention-starved daughter of the king, is shattered completely when she witnesses the murder of her parents by a scar-faced Human. Wounded and despondent, Adrastea narrowly escapes death herself and finds unexpected refuge and friendship in the remote cottage of a crippled Cievan. Soon the news spreads that Adrastea is wanted for the murder of her parents. Five years later, the scar-faced killer strikes again. This time, however, he is pursued by an accomplished artist of the blade, the fierce Cievan Aleta, who hates Humans and who never smiles. Aleta reluctantly joins forces with Daphne, the humorous Human girl acrobat on her own hunt for scar-face and the bitter Cievan almost learns to smile. Will Daphne, Aleta and a sampling of colorful characters from the world of Orbis succeed in installing Adrastea's brother on the Cievan throne and in restoring the princess to her people? Adrastea opens the courageous combat against evil by the five peoples of Orbis, the Cievo, the Humans, the Shefro, the Elves, and the Snow Sprites, as recorded in the six Annals of Orbis. This fast-paced fantasy novel with a dash of subtle humor is set in a heroic, Tolkien-inspired world.