Channi was just a toddler when her father offered her to the Demon Witch in a desperate attempt to save his wife from dying during childbirth. Before the witch can kill Channi, the little girl is saved by a bite from the King of the Serpents; it poisons her blood so that the witch can’t kill her. The witch, who wanted newborn Vanna in payment for her mother’s life, gets revenge by cursing Channi, giving her face scales and snake-like features; she will undo the curse only if Channi delivers Vanna before her sister turns 17. Channi has endured a childhood of taunting and isolation because of her disfigurement. Her only friends are Ukar, a snake she can talk to because of the curse, and her beloved younger sister, whose ethereal beauty radiates light that awes all who see her. As Vanna’s17th birthday approaches, their father encourages wealthy suitors to compete for Vanna’s hand, unconcerned that some of them are clearly brutes. Intent on protecting her sister, Channi becomes entangled in a string of challenges, drawing on her combat skills and strategic instincts as she forges an uneasy bond with a dragon, escapes a kidnapping, and learns the Demon Witch is still intent on claiming her sister—and why. This complex, action-packed fantasy is also a richly satisfying, character-driven exploration of trust and loyalty set in the same well-drawn world inspired by cultures of Southeast Asia as the author’s (Age 13 and older)