Perplexity

Assemble the clues, dismantle the danger.

Yosarai Patican never wanted to finish her schooling in the Indeli capital, but after several months, she is finally finding her footing . . . until her world is shattered by the unthinkable. Facing loss after loss, she struggles to adjust to a new position and new responsibilities, including the repayment of a massive debt. A debt more easily managed if she can qualify for the elite politico sphere on the upcoming placement exam. Some, however, would do anything to prevent Yosarai from earning one of the coveted positions.

Meanwhile, in the northern realm of Egdon, Crown Prince Xander faces an increasingly hostile Parliament. Not only are they questioning the necessity of the monarchy, but they are also demanding an accounting of some mysterious expenditures by the former king. Unless Xander can unearth a reasonable explanation, his coronation may be more than postponed. It may be cancelled—permanently.

As old rivalries escalate and hidden threats emerge, both Xander and Yosi must choose their paths wisely, before evil eliminates everyone in its way.

Book 2 of The Sceptre and the Stylus series.

Chawna Schroeder fantasy teens+YA girls & women Enclave Escape
arts inventors royalty The Sceptre and the Stylus series

More books like Perplexity

When Yosarai Patican learns of her father’s death, her world came crashing down. Left to manage the family estate, she must confront with a massive debt her father accumulated while working on a secret project. Meanwhile, Crown Prince Xander finds his claim to the throne challenged by his usurping brother and a rogue Parliament who question whether their country even needs a monarchy. Chawna Schroeder’s second entry in the The Sceptre and the Stylus series casts readers further into this fantasy world of light and darkness. Despite grief and suffering, gilded threads shine through all the brighter in this effulgent sequel to Illuminary.

Best for: Teen or young adult fans of classical story retellings or fantasy tales with steampunk twists.

Discern: Moderate fantasy violence involving guns and knives, attempted suicide, slavery/indentured servitude, kidnapping, reference to the pain of grief, one vision of a past murder, brief mentions of off-page prostitution, allusions to martial flirtation, caste-like class and working systems.