This book, told in the third person, had a strong female lead. It is fantasy. She had no fear of heights and she never lost her balance.

The leader of the Assassin's Guild offered Kyra a job. She does not trust him but takes the job

Tristan and Kyra have been enemies but decide they need to work together.

The Drunken Dog was run by Bella who had a big heart and loved Kyra and Flick. Kyra also had a big heart and she paid for a room for the gutter rats, Idalee and her little sister, Lettie.

The main character has a hard time deciding who she supports: Is it the palace? Is it the guild? Is it the demon riders?

The author has a PhD in neuroscience from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She blogs on the intersection of writing and brain science and lives in LA. This was her first novel.

She decides to join James and his Assassin's Guild. Her first job is to map the palace. She also had training sessions with Rand that felt more like beating sessions.

The chapters alternate between Kyra and what is going on with her and Tristam of Brancel, a palace knight, and what is happening with him. Sometimes it flips from one to the other in the middle of the chapter.

The armory lock had been changed. There were only two copies made. Neither of the guards had a copy and still someone broke into the armory and stole 50-75 sets of studded-leather armor.

She needed to know which storehouse held the herbs the Red Shields were stealing from the herbalist. She worked harder than ever to locate the list so she could get the herbs back.

She drew the demon cat away from the knight and ran for her life. The cat caught her, slashed her shoulder blade and her shin. She was too injured to get away and knew she would be eaten. However, the demon cat looked at her intently then turned and bounded off.

How had it happened? She'd just wanted him to stay quiet and still and instead her knife dug into his throat. He stiffened and gasped for breath, and died. She decided her days with the guild were done.

James was making her kill Malikel. If she did not take the job he threatened to kill her friends Flick and the two girls she took care of. She tried but was caught by Tristam. They realize their best chances at survival might be to join forces.

A floral design at the beginning of the chapter means it is about her. A shield at the beginning of the chapter means it is about him.

Now that she was working for the palace she was supposed to hunt the Demon Riders. She and Tristam spotted them heading toward Forge. Before they could get there and sound the alarm the Demon riders had set fire to the Drunken Dog. Flick and the girls were safe but Bella died.

Everything happened because of her. She gave James run of the Palace. She unlocked the armory so the Guild could steal armor for the barbarians. She copied the trade and guard schedules so the Demon riders were successful in their raids.

She wanted revenge on James but instead was attacked. He took her knife and plunged it into her stomach. He gave her to the Demon Rides to feed to their giant cats.

She was a half-blood and she never knew it. It seemed impossible to believe and impossible to deny. However, there was no way she was able to change shape.

She had to complete the tasks for the guards (that meant she had to spy on the Demon riders) or they would withhold the antidote. She had been poisoned when she was cut with the knife.

Tristam does not want to be like James, but he finds himself using some of the same tactics against Kyra.