The Founding Daughters

Every year, the five great factions of the Republic choose one young woman to become a Founding Daughter-the future face of their ideals and a contender for the nation's highest office.

To the public, the Founding Trials are a celebration of leadership. Before millions of cheering spectators, the Daughters solve famines, negotiate rebellions, rebuild economies, and make impossible decisions that test their wisdom and compassion. The winner will decide the country's future.

At least, that's what everyone believes.

Luna never wanted to rule. A soldier from the Military Faction, she is far more comfortable on a training field than behind a podium. Yet when she is unexpectedly chosen as her faction's Founding Daughter, she is thrust into a world where every choice creates victims and every victory comes at someone else's expense.

Alongside her is Raudha, the shy young strategist responsible for designing the magnificent arenas where the Trials take place. She dreams of using technology to unite people and make friends, unaware that the system she has helped perfect was built for a far darker purpose.

As the competition draws to a close, the five Founding Daughters begin to trust one another, believing they can build a better future together.

Then the doors lock.

The final Trial was never meant to choose the best leader.

It was meant to leave only one alive.

Now Luna must decide whether to play the game she was born into-or destroy the very system that taught an entire nation that leadership can only be built on sacrifice.