"In the Kingdom of Daradon, a persecuted few are Wielders, in possession of a magical Spectre--a shimmering thread that can extend beyond their visible body to give a loving caress, pick a lock . . . even kill. Feared for this ability, Wielders have always been Hunted. Alissa Paine, heiress and daughter of a Hunter family . . . is also a Wielder. At eighteen, Alissa knows she's escaped execution thus far only due to painful self-control and the efforts of her beloved father. Summoned to the harsh and glittering royal court for the debutante season, Alissa finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and betrayal--and caught between two equally dangerous men: one a brutal ruler with the handsome face of a fairy-tale prince, who would destroy her if he knew the truth--and the other a beguiling foreign ambassador with secret agendas of his own. With the threat of discovery lurking around every corner--and romance becoming an increasingly dangerous temptation--Alissa will find that she has more to lose than her secrets. It's Rose Season at the palace, but to survive she'll need to become the most vicious of thorns. . . ."--