Dread Child by J.L. Doty

SPFBO10

Is the birthmark on a young boy's arm just a patch of discolored skin, or the dawn of an ancient curse? Ket is the half-breed son of a Scairn bondservant and an unknown Duchies man. To him, the birthmark on his arm is just a smear of discolored skin. But the wizard Kainborne sees in it the Dreadmark, a portent of both evil and greatness. With his mother murdered, and him kidnapped by Kainborne's assassin, Ket must survive the enemies about him. But can he survive the curse of the Dreadmark?

Young Adult • Fantasy