Houses of Sword and Flame (Book One of the Dust Trilogy)
Alia is a woman of unusual talent: her skill with the magical Dust is unmatched. From birth she has trained as a warrior in the House of Sword, but she is drawn also to quiet contemplation in the House of Flame. But the day of choosing is fast approaching, and she must choose one, forsaking the other forever.
Unknown to the people of Harakai, however, is that powerful forces are stirring in the lands below. Creatures have been dispatched by a distant, malevolent god, and they are stealing people of the world and carrying them away one by one. Alia’s future lies in the balance as dark figures ascend the mountains of Harakai…