Raybearer

*Raybearer* is a 2020 YA fantasy novel that follows a girl named Tarisai who is magically compelled to join the Crown Prince's council of advisors. Because her mother magically engineered her birth to be a perfect weapon, Tarisai struggles between her desire for family and her lethal destiny. She must find a way to break the magical compulsion to save the prince she was meant to kill.

Author Jordan Ifueko heavily based the fictional empire of Aritsar on West African mythology and cultural traditions. The world-building features complex systems of magic, folklore, and political structures inspired by historical African kingdoms. This distinct cultural foundation sets it apart from traditional European-centric fantasy tropes.

Yes, *Raybearer* is the first book in a completed duology written by Jordan Ifueko. The story concludes in the sequel, titled *Redemptor*, which was published in 2021. The sequel follows Tarisai as she navigates her new role in the mystical realm of the afterlife.

The main character is Tarisai, a young woman who possesses immense magical potential. She is a "Raybearer," a unique individual chosen to sit on the Crown Prince's council, where members share a literal and magical lifeline. Her internal conflict between the Found Family she finds in the council and her mother's murderous demands drives the story.