This text is an excerpt from Janice Hardy's fantasy novel, "The Shifter," the first book in The Healing Wars series. It follows a young woman named Nya who possesses the rare and dangerous ability to shift pain from one person to another. The story is set in a world where Healers are vital and controlled, and Nya finds herself entangled in a conflict involving disappearing Healers, corrupt officials, and the looming threat of war and occupation by the Duke of Baseer. Nya's journey is driven by her desperate attempts to protect her sister Tali, a Healer's apprentice, and other innocent individuals from exploitation and harm, leading her to confront dangerous figures and uncover dark secrets within the established order.