
This young adult fantasy novel plunges readers into the kingdom of Ilya, a society strictly divided between the 'Elite' with powers and the 'Ordinary' who are banished. Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary, has survived by posing as a Psychic, a skill honed by her observant father. When she unexpectedly saves a prince, she's forced into the deadly Purging Trials, a competition designed to showcase Elite powers. Paedyn must navigate these brutal challenges while hiding her true identity and grappling with a forbidden romance, knowing exposure could cost her life. It's a high-stakes story of survival, identity, and forbidden love, perfect for readers aged 12-18 who enjoy dystopian fantasy with a strong romantic element.
Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites. The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity. Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done. When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.