Kushiel's scion

About “Kushiel's scion”

Imriel de la Courcel was born to history's most hated traitors, but was raised by the renowned champions of Terre d'Ange, the Comtesse Phedre and the warrior-priest Joscelin. After being stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a child, he becomes a Prince of the Blood and third in line for the throne. Terre d'Ange is a land of beauty and desire, but also of deep conspiracies, and many wish the young prince dead. Some hate him for his mother, Melisande, who nearly destroyed the realm. Others fear he has inherited her dangerous gifts and her allure. As he comes of age, struggling with unwanted desires, Imriel faces a dangerous situation when a simple act of friendship leaves him trapped in a besieged city where Melisande is worshipped as a goddess. There, a dead man leads an army, and the prince must confront his greatest challenge: discovering his true self. This 2006 novel by Jacqueline Carey explores themes of identity, power, and the past's lingering influence.