Update:
Had a 'doh' moment the other day. Order of the Nine could very easily be a YA fantasy novel. Why didn't I think of this before? No idea. My current version is too long as a debut for YA. 140k just too long. So, after some rethinking, I realized I could add in the content I revised out for book two, which had the ms at a whopping 200k, and split it into two books. Presto, books one and two, 100k each. Now trying to reorganize and do a bit of editing to make this submitable to the YA market.
About the Story:
War is coming to the lands of Taloria. Hordelings are being spawned in the fires beneath Tonelka Keep. Plumes of smoke and ash rise from the highest peaks of the Ulsgareth Mountains. The Change is upon them once again. But only one knows the truth. Tulbonae, Seer of Ubera, and the Goddess’s right hand, has experienced it before, and knows the war for the lie it is. Centuries of subtle manipulations are coming to fruition, and now her plans hinge on keeping the Order of Nine alive long enough to carry out her betrayal.
For Talmar, apprentice Springkeeper, the signs of the Change mean little. It is ancient history about things that happened far from his quiet life and simple dreams. Called forth to serve as one of the Nine, Talmar feels utterly ill-equipped to be a Stonebearer, much less chase down the assassin who steals the Stone of Carimar on the night he lays claim to it. In Takidor, the Tel spy Kazare, striving to understand the secret of the Takidoran’s rise to power, discovers that the imprisoned Queen’s daughter is one of the Nine, Now she must risk everything she has worked for to get Belkara to Mt. Ubera, keeping her alive long enough to heed the Champion's call. More importantly, it's to heed the call of a hardened, spy's heart, which has found itself lost to the mysterious and beautiful young woman.