Dragonbird in the Fern

When Scilla, the eldest princess of Azzaria is murdered by an assassin, her vengeful spirit is doomed to remain with the living, tormenting her loved ones until her killer is brought to justice. While the entire kingdom mourns, Scilla’s betrothed arrives and requests her seventeen-year-old sister Jiara take her place as his bride to confirm the alliance between their countries. Marrying the young king intended for her sister and traveling to his distant home is distressing enough, but with years of scholarly struggles with her own language, Jiara abandoned any hope of learning other languages long ago. She’s terrified of life in a foreign land where she’ll be unable to communicate. Then Jiara discovers evidence that her sister’s assassin comes from the king’s own country. If she marries the king, Jiara can hunt the murderer and release her family from Scilla’s ghost, whose thirst for blood mounts every day. To save her family, Jiara must find her sister’s killer… before he murders her too. AGES: 14 to 18 AUTHOR: Laura Rueckert is a card-carrying bookworm who manages projects by day. At night, fueled by European chocolate, she transforms into a writer of young adult science fiction and fantasy novels. Laura grew up in Michigan, but a whirlwind romance after college brought her to Europe. Today, she lives in Germany with her husband, two kids, and one fluffy dog.