Bitter Heart

Julian has spent her life as a healer, far from the demands of royal politics. When an invasion threatens her home planet, her family's position gives her a way out and leaves her with a responsibility she never expected. She must reach the Unity government and persuade it to intervene before her people are killed or enslaved. Passage aboard a trading ship brings her into unfamiliar company, where unexpected allies offer possibilities that court life never did. Yet escape is only the start of her mission. Each choice carries consequences for those left behind, and Julian must learn whom to trust while time is running out.