Potions master Kyra is on the run after a failed attempt to assassinate Princess Ariana, heir to the throne. The fact that the princess is also her best friend doesn't deter Kyra from wanting to succeed at her self-imposed mission. Krya's had dire visions in which Ariana causes the complete destruction of the kingdom. With the princess now in hiding, Kyra ends up in possession of a pig with special hunting abilities to track her down. The small creature has an endearing disposition that Kyra tries to resist, not to mention a soft spot for dog biscuits. And then there's Fred. Handsome and friendly, this wanderer Kyra meets in the woods is really the last thing she needs. But he did provide the dog biscuits, along with a name for the pig (Rosie), and a helping hand at a desperate moment. So when Fred is later accosted, Kyra comes to his aid, although she risks revealing her own considerable fighting skills, making it hard to maintain her disguise as nothing more than another wayfarer. She doesn't want a traveling companion but seems fated to have found one in Fred-a proposition she finds both vexing and pleasing. Bridget Zinn's buoyant novel brims with adventure, mayhem, intrigue, humor, and romance, along with surprising twists and revelations right up to the end. (Ages 11-15)

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction???which means she''s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom''s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart???misses. Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king''s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she''s not alone. She''s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can''t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she''s certainly no damsel-in-distress???she''s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.