The Shadow Crown series by Kristen Martin follows Arden Eliri, a teenage assassin raised in a brutal regime where she’s trained to kill for the king but begins to question everything she’s been taught after a mission reveals hidden truths about magic, identity, and her own past. Over the course of the series, Arden becomes a renegade, discovers forbidden magical abilities, and must navigate shifting alliances, dangerous enemies, and her own inner darkness as war looms and powerful forces vie for control of the kingdom. Ultimately, she faces a climactic struggle to decide whether to put aside personal vendettas and embrace her role in shaping the fate of her world.