Publisher's Synopsis
Return to the splendor and intrigue of the Elys imperial palace where mystery meets magic and the saga of Princess Lyudmyla weaves its way through dark alleys and darker plots.
Yphor Ba' ud II has good reasons to celebrate on the day of his royal gala. His enemies to the northwest are in on the run, his son and heir is growing healthy and strong, and thanks to Lyudmyla, he's just survived an assassination attempt.
If there's anything Lyudmyla must learn to survive in the court of the Elys-ju qa', it's that everyone is a spy, and her chances of returning home grow dimmer as the empire grows stronger.
Fate has offered her a tiny window of opportunity in the form of a mistaken identity that allows her a moment of anonymity. As long as no one sees through her disguise she can stay out of sight and plan her escape. But someone has seen through her disguise, and what she demands as payment for her silence will set off a chain of events that shakes the world and puts all Lyudmyla's hopes in jeopardy.
In the city of Ulara'ys, every encounter is a test, and gossip is power. While the unflinching gaze of Qoethe the Watcher lingers above, Lyudmyla clings to her last shred of hope and home.
Perhaps there is hope in a secret artifact that seems to consume everyone who sees it. Perhaps she should stay away from it to avoid the frightful magic that surrounds it. Perhaps... she shouldn't have touched it.
