Alise (Tales from Darjee #2)

The Lady Alise has ruled the Darjee Empire for over a hundred years... until an assassin takes aim. And fails. Damn it.
Ephraim is marked by a white feather tattoo, a permanent reminder of his cowardice. Ironic for a man who draws a soldier's pay, but he survives by keeping his head down and following orders. Until there's another failed attempt to end Lady Alise's reign and the petulant ruler delivers her latest retaliatory edict. One hundred healthy children are to be torn from their mothers and delivered to the oremancers. The wizards of metallurgy will turn young minds and bodies into monstrous automatons.

Ephraim has hit his tipping point and maybe a broken coward can end a cruel regime where trained warriors have failed. But if he falters, the children will be lost and his head will adorn a spike over the city gate. And that's his best case scenario....