Slayer

Beastheart is set in a fantastical world run by a complex hierarchy of Beasts called the new-Kind, which have magical or elemental powers. Humans have become the oppressed underclass, but rebellion is brewing as enemies struggle for power, and the truth about the origins of the Kind could tip the balance for ever ... Jonas, a young human, was blamed for the killing of his fellow villagers and thrown into a notorious prison. His only hope of release from jail is through using his tracking skills to find other criminals on the run, trading them in against his own sentence. But Jonas has a secret connection with a spirit creature, and in this dangerous world such secrets have consequences. Lana is a lizard-Kind, whose once aristocratic family has fallen into disgrace. Now she must use her special stone-working magic to support her loved ones - and when her talents are noticed by the king, Lana seizes a chance to restore her family's fortunes. But if the secret behind her mother's death comes to light, Lana and her sister could be in terrible danger. As Jonas's quest continues he uncovers shocking secrets about the history of his world and finds himself caught up in a complex web of shifting alliances. Can he discover what's really in his heart?