Book excerpt: Woodmyst flourishes, emerging from a quaint hamlet into a city over a short span of time. The new walls surrounding the community have been all but completed and the population continues to grow. Crops are harvested, livestock are flourishing and the stores are fully stocked. Woodmyst and her allies appear to be enjoying a bountiful time of peace. All except for Alice Warde, a twelve-year-old girl who feels less at home in the thriving city than she does in the wilds of the woodlands and beyond. Possessing the traits of a well-trained soldier, weapon smith and tracker, the girl has learnt the art of survival from a very young age. Alice is unlike any other, possessing newly acquired abilities and talents, similar to those of her mother and aunt, that evoke fear amongst a number of the citizens of Woodmyst. As the girl establishes a home away from the community, new threats from the north make their way towards the city. Alice has inadvertently made herself the first line of defence for Woodmyst. Will her skills be enough to help her? Can she survive on her own? If not, what will become of Woodmyst?