Orphans

In a kingdom torn by civil war, nothing is more desired than magic. The last royal mage dies under strange circumstances, but manages to pass the Gift on: he leaves it to an ordinary girl, Sharka. The king—deprived of the Gift and its power—and the rebels, who wouldn’t mind having such a weapon at their side, begin hunting for the newly minted witch. Every method is used: brute force and cunning lies. The fate of the entire kingdom is in the hands of an illiterate commoner who, to everyone else, has always been nothing more than a voiceless thing. And Sharka herself, entangled in the mage’s plans, has to fight for her freedom and her life.
Which side will Sharka choose? Will she learn the mage’s plan, follow it—or finally hear her own voice amid the voices of others?
“Orphans” is the first book of a duology of dark fantasy. The novel takes place in an alternative universe whose setting resembles Central Europe of the early 15th century—Bohemia during the Hussite wars. Illustrations in the text and the cover were created by the author Maria Voi, a talented writer and artist. Authentic text, attention to details, ambiguous heroes—everything creates a uniquely dark, gripping cycle. “Orphans” is a story about the power and weakness, fate, and choice.