An Ember in the Ashes

Ember in the Ashes follows the experiences of a few young adults in a world similar to the Roman Empire. One boy is the illegitimate son of the the commandant. The commandant had tried to abort her pregnancy, but ended up just abandoning him to local people, only to have him come back. He is an aspirant to the emperorship. The other main character (and eventual love interest) is a girl, part of the "scholars" who are involved in a rebellion. She sells herself into slavery in the commandant's house as a means of freeing her brother from prison. There is plenty of double-crossing going on. The two characters eventually fall in love. However, they both also have other good friends with romantic intentions. The "trials" to produce the next emperor force the characters to engage in horrible acts, including the killing of one's own friends. Eventually, the two characters manage to escape. The book ends with their escape, leaving the next book to pick up right there. There is some magic and fantastical elements. However, the book is primarily about psychology and family relations.