The Hollow Crown — Diana Pharaoh Francis

Welcome to Crosspointe, the hub of the Inland Sea, where gold runs like water, and the balance of politics shifts uneasily between the monarchy, the majicars, and the Merchants' Guild -- a land where dangerous majick courses through the black waters.

After the murders of the king and queen, the island empire of Crosspointe is on the verge of chaos. The ruthless lord chancellor has taken the throne and made slaves of most of the royal family. Majick has inexplicably ceased to work, and majicars have begun attacking one another in the streets of Sylmont. Now, in order to save the country they love from utter destruction, the king's heirs are determined to rally whatever allies they have left and overthrow the lord chancellor before the Jutras invade.

Prince Vaughn is building an army in secret, while Prince Ryland and Princess Margaret are attempting to build an underground rebellion. But on a mission to retrieve secret documents from inside the castle, Margaret discovers terrible secrets that threaten the fate of their tenuous resistance -- and the only chance they have to wrest Crosspointe away from the hands of a vicious usurper. But it may be too late....