The Queen's Quarter Series by Midori Snyder

Since the Burning, Oran has bled under the heel of the Sileans. But there are rumors that four have escaped--four who have the ancient powers of Earth, Fire, Air and Water. And though they are young, they have allies--allies whose sign is scrawled on tavern walls--the blood-red, blade-thin New Moon.

Two hundred years ago, the Fire Queen destroyed her rival queens of Earth, Air, and Water in the fateful Burning and took power over Oran. No child with a trace of the elemental magic was alloved to live. Years later, the country still trembles under her oppression. But now there are rumors of hope. Four young women escaped—four who have the powers of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air—and are even now finding each other... moreTwo hundred years ago, the Fire Queen destroyed her rival queens of Earth, Air, and Water in the fateful Burning and took power over Oran. No child with a trace of the elemental magic was alloved to live. Years later, the country still trembles under her oppression. But now there are rumors of hope. Four young women escaped—four who have the powers of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air—and are even now finding each other. At the same time, a ragtag army of artists and singers, orphans and vagrants, thieves and knifewielders is stealing into the city. Their sign is the bloodred, blade-thin New Moon . . . less

The final entry of Snyder's long-out-of-print Oran Trilogy is now available in this beautiful new paperback edition.