The Silver Serpent
Taught the sword from childhood, Shanis Malan's only dream is to be a soldier, but a woman cannot join the Galdoran army. When Prince Lerryn holds a tournament in her home town, she believes her dream has come true, but circumstances snatch her from her home and into the midst of a search for a legendary artifact that can save the world from the minions of Tichris, the Ice King--Publisher's description.