The halling

In the kingdom of Aldana, peace is kept through tradition.

Every time the royal heir turns twenty, twenty girls are taken from the outer-common- villages: offered up to the palace in a ritual known as The Halling. It's not a ceremony. It's a spectacle, a televised one. For three months, the chosen are groomed, watched, scored, and slowly eliminated, one by one.

The winning girl becomes queen. Her village is elevated. Her family is saved.

The others return home in silence-if they return at all.

Araya was never supposed to be chosen. She only took her sister's place to protect her. She expected to be cut in the trimming, the first round of eliminations, and go back to her small fishing village.

But when the prince starts bending the rules to keep her close, the palace starts watching her too closely.

The winner was always meant to be someone polished. Trained. Chosen years in advance behind palace doors and long before the cameras ever started rolling. So what happens when the girl who never wanted the crown becomes the kingdom's biggest threat?

The 27th halling of Aldana, let the games begin.