Shadows of Carnage - The Progenitor Trilogy, #1

A tale of allegianceIn Rigel, the Shadow God decides which of his descendants shall rule the Andromic Empire. When the charismatic Prince Daedalus is not chosen, the nation is broken hearted. Daedalus, while not a Magic Caster, has a silver tongue, golden heart and iron will; he still vows to serve the nation. After a rogue attack in Rigel, a small child named Anthea is the lone survivor in her family.
She is chosen by the Shadow God to serve as a Guardian to the Sovereign and the royal family and must undergo elite training to become a deadly Magic Caster. Alice, a Paladin and the head of the Sovereign's defense, does not trust Anthea, afraid of the raw power the child will grow to possess. But while Alice was watching Anthea, she should have been watching a much greater threat. With so many people sworn to protect the Carnage family, it is hard to know who to trust.