Sword Catcher

In the port city of Castellane, a ten-year-old orphan, Kel, is taken from the orphanage and trained to be the double of Crown Prince Conor, wearing a magical amulet that makes the crowd see the prince. He is the prince's Sword Catcher, there to take the blow in his place.

Lin Caster, a physician from the oppressed Ashkar community, is searching for forbidden knowledge when a failed assassination draws both of them into the world of the Ragpicker King, who rules the criminal underworld. The first book in the Chronicles of Castellane.