The Hidden Ones

Sera is a Sympath. That isn't illegal, but it might as well be. Born with the ability to twist the minds of others, Sympaths can whisper things that can only be felt. You'll kill for them. You'll even die for them. If caught, only exile or death will do, for a Sympath cannot be jailed. People like her are despised and feared, so Sera must remain hidden. She lives in a secluded village at the edge of the known world and wonders what kind of future she could possibly have there. Her twin brother Gault chafes at village life. He feels useless, his skills and ambition wasted in such a tiny place. He longs to go to the faraway city to attend the prestigious University there, but will have to leave Sera behind to do it. On one of their final days together, they witness the arrival of mysterious beings from beyond the sea. Their lives are thrown into upheaval when the newcomers prove to be hostile, deadly, immensely powerful, and, Sera is horrified to discover, just like her.