This extraordinary novel will be loved by fans of George R. R. Martin and Sylvia Day alike - an intoxicating fantasy of intrigue, betrayal and desire. Phèdre nó Delaunay has a turbulent path before her, one that will touch the life of queens and princes - and change the course of her land, but this all lies ahead...After a childhood of indentured servitude, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with a very particular mission. He's also the first to recognize who and what she is: one touched by the god Kushiel's dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.Phèdre is trained equally in history, politics and the courtly arts - but she's also eventually taught the arts of pleasure, And above all, she learns how to observe, remember and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path, then love and honour goad her further. Her journey will take her to the edge of despair and beyond, as false friend, loving enemy and beloved assassin can all wear the same glittering mask. Navigating a world of deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear. Kushiel's Dart won the Locus Award for Best First Novel in 2002. It also won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Fantasy.