The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Two hundred and twenty-three years after the Revolution of Sovereigns, Queen Sabara is eighty-one years into her reign. She is failing but there is no suitable female heir to take her place. The country of Ludania is in turmoil with rebel forces advancing on the capital daily. Refuges are straining the city’s resources and Queen Sabara is looking for The One, the survivor to the old throne before the Revolution, the lost heir to take her place.

The citizens of Ludania are strictly divided by class and the language they speak. If you look someone of a higher class in the eye while speaking their class language is an offense punishable by death. For seventeen-year-old Charlaina “Charlie” Hart, a member of the merchant class, she has spent her entire life hiding a secret that if known, will cause her death. She has the ability to understand all languages, even those she has never heard before. Working in her family’s restaurant one night, a political family comes in and sits at one of her tables. The daughter is the same girl who makes fun of Charlie on her way to school in the merchant’s language. She doesn’t realize Charlie can understand her until Charlie slips up while taking their order. A ruckus ensues in the restaurant as Charlie’s friend Brooklynn and the three gentlemen she is serving look on. The girl is calmed down and her parents apologize. Charlie goes to the kitchen to collect her wits and steel herself for her father’s disapproval.

Brooklynn talks Charlie into going to an underground club the three guys at her table tell her about. Charlie agrees to give her father some time. He ended up being more distraught than she had over the possible outcome. Once inside the club, Brook goes to do her thing, flirting with guys and soon she finds two of the three guys from her table. The one who wouldn’t pay Brook any attention is focusing all of his on Charlie. He tells her his name is Max. Charlie becomes unnerved when his two companions begin talking about Brook in a language she shouldn’t understand and their words are not nice. Charlie is desperate to keep Brook from learning her secret and the real reason she wants to leave, but Max seems to realize Charlie’s abilities. Charlie finally convinces Brook to leave much to her dismay.

Charlie soon finds her thoughts straying to Max even though she shouldn’t and he seems close to uncovering her secret. She is torn be her physical and emotional attraction to him but can’t seem to get past the mystery surrounding him. But when tensions rise and the threats of an invasion become imminent, Charlie is forced to put not only her life, but that of her mute younger sister into Max’s hands.

Why is Charlie blessed/cursed with the ability to understand not only languages but the inflections of voices as well? Why has her sister never spoken and what secret ability does she hide as well? What secret is Max hiding and why? And will Queen Sabara find a suitable heir before it’s too late?

Join Charlie on her harrowing adventure in Kimberly Derting’s new trilogy. I for one cannot wait to see what else she has in store for Charlie.

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