The Warrior Heir

This is the first book in the "Heir Trilogy" by Cinda Williams Chima. It is about a boy from Trinity Ohio who has his future cut out for him pretty much when he is born. As he grows up he learns that he is a warrior and meant to be played in a wizard tournament. The wizard tournaments are ways to settle fueds between the wizard houses. Each house (team) gets a warrior and make them fight to the death. The warrior who survives won for the wizards who essenttialy own him/her.