The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains descriptions of violence, suicide, and torture.

Lara considers the sand dunes beyond the compound where she and her 11 half-sisters have lived and trained for the past 15 years. She and her sisters are called to dine with their father, Silas, who is the king of Maridrina. At a dining table surrounded by water, he praises them for surviving their training and announces that one of them will be chosen to become Queen of Ithicana per the agreement that the two nations made at the end of their war 15 years ago. The chosen sister’s mission will be to provide Silas with a way to defeat Ithicana once she is crowned queen. Although Silas favors Lara’s sister Marylyn for the job, Lara knows that the king plans to kill all of the other sisters. Now, as all the sisters eat their soup, they begin choking and foaming at the mouth. When they all fall motionless, Lara declares herself the next Queen of Ithicana.

Silas orders his soldiers to murder all servants, musicians, and attendants within the compound. Erik, the sisters’ former Master of Arms and Lara’s father figure, dies by suicide.