Following the death of her parents, Lucinda went to live with her aunt and uncle, working in their jewelry shop for little thanks and no pay, at the mercy of her aunt’s cruel moods. That changes when the mysterious Amaranth Witch enters her life, with a dangerous proposition. As a result, Lucinda is caught up in a tangled web of intrigue, adventure, magic and deceit. Befriended by a witch, bedeviled by a teenage pickpocket, disavowed by her aunt, on the run from the law and romanced by a prince, Lucinda may just discover her true place in life. That is, if the man who killed her parents doesn’t come for her first. A complex, intriguing story with some decidedly unexpected twists and turns, it plays against expectations, defies convention, and delivers a satisfying ending.