The One-Armed Queen

Decades after White Jenna secured peace for the matriarchal Dales, prophesied queen and fierce warrior, her kingdom faces new, insidious threats. Her adopted daughter, Scillia—a frail, one-armed child discovered on a battlefield—is now thirteen and being groomed for succession, as is the tradition of the Dales. However, Scillia struggles with the weight of her destiny, feeling conflicted and resentful of her mother's rigorous teachings. Compounding this internal turmoil is the insidious return of Jenna's eldest son, Jemson. Corrupted by his time as a royal hostage in the patriarchal lands of Garun, Jemson harbors a fierce ambition to seize power, challenging the very foundation of his mother's rule. As jealousy, obstinacy, and treachery fester within the royal house, the fragile peace secured by Jenna threatens to unravel. An ancient, powerful enemy across the seas watches intently, poised to exploit any sign of weakness and reignite the devastating Gender Wars that once plagued the land. Jane Yolen masterfully concludes her Great Alta saga, weaving myth, poetry, and song into a complex narrative that explores the profound consequences of power, family, and tradition.