The Taggers by Janel Lee

The Taggers is a swash buckling tale set in Medieval Times about Emily, a teenage princess set to marry Townsely, the son of a wealthy man. Emily’s father, King Walter is a selfish and cruel ruler who refuses to listen to Emily when she tells him that she does not wish to marry Townsley. Instead, King Walter punishes Emily and sentences her to a night in prison. Once out of prison, Emily’s nurse tells her the story of The Taggers, a secret society of dead men brought back to do the evil work of their leader, Parduce. Each Tagger can be brought back if they sacrifice the first born son of poor families. The night of her Coming of Age Party, Princess Emily is raped by Townsley and becomes pregnant. Outraged at Emily, King Walter banishes her from his kingdom. Months later, Emily gives birth to her son and manages just fine with what very little she has until the season changes and the weather turns cold. What happens next sets Emily on a course for confrontation with the evil men of her nurse’s story, The Taggers.