Steel Maiden — Kim Richardson

IN A LAND WHERE MAGIC IS BANNED and where cruel high priests rule, Elena steals the most valuable jewel in the empire in the hopes to sell it and start a new life. But she is caught, and the punishment for stealing is death. And yet in that moment she is given a choice -- death or to become one of the High priests' champions in The Great Race. Elena is catapulted without warning into the bloodiest race in all the realms, forced to compete with a man she hates while she develops a growing passion for another. She struggles to understand her special skills, her mysterious healing powers that she must keep secret. Within a world built on a religious sect and dangerous secrets, she becomes a woman torn between obligation and desire, between a man she supposedly hates and another. As Elena comes to terms with her own secret, she discovers the truth behind the race and must stop the ancient, wicked evil that threatens all living things before it's too late. From the award winning author of MARKED comes a new mesmerizing series full of action, adventure, and steamy romance.