Desert Rising by Kelley Grant

Nomadic traders find interaction with a theocracy or perhaps more accurate a polytheistic dominated city state fraught with danger.  Visiting the temple can lead one to be chosen by one of four quarreling deities shown by a great cat adopting them. The Forsaken are this societies un-touchables often due to the greed of temple politics.  

Sulis and Kadar are twins thrust into the role of revolutionaries.  Their desert society does not believe in slavery which is what the role of the Forsaken really is. 

Grant does a very good job developing her strong female protagonist in Sulis.   Kadar is not give the same depth of development except as a supporting role for Sulis.   I do enjoy strong female protagonists.

This is an exceptional story, captivating and exciting, I recommend it.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.