The fate of a desert kingdom rests in the hands of a princess desperate for power and an assassin with a dark secret, in this action-packed debut of fire magic and ancient prophecy from a stunning new voice in fantasy.

"A captivating adventure." —Peter V. Brett, author of the Nightfall Saga series

The Ravani kingdom was born of a prophecy, carved from unforgiving desert sands and ruled by the Ravence bloodline: those with the power to command the Eternal Fire. 

Elena Aadya is the heir to the throne—and the only Ravence who cannot wield her family’s legendary magic. As her coronation approaches, she will do whatever it takes to prove herself a worthy successor to her revered father. But she doesn’t anticipate the arrival of Yassen Knight, the notorious assassin who now claims fealty to the throne. Elena’s father might trust Yassen to be a member of her royal guard, but she is certain he is hiding something.  

As the threat of war looms like a storm on the horizon, the two begin a dangerous dance of intrigue and betrayal. And the choices they make could burn down the world.

"Characters you just can’t get out of your head.” —Vaishnavi Patel, NYT bestselling author of Kaikeyi 

"Elegant and intelligent storytelling ... an exhilarating adventure perfect for fans of S.A. Chakraborty." —Library Journal 

"A riveting page turner." —Booklist 

"This exciting fantasy promises good things from the series to come." —Publishers Weekly