Those who burn the brightest, fall the hardest.

Mariah Salis, Queen Apparent of Onita, has been betrayed by the one person she thought she could trust the most. Now a prisoner of the ruthless royals, she clings to the tattered threads of her soul as her hope wanes with each passing day.

Back in the capital of Verith, Mariah's friends and Armature search desperately for their missing queen. When a new threat sails in from the east and the city's protective magic falters, they are forced to make an impossible choice: protect the many, or save the one.

Meanwhile, a forgotten evil has begun to stir, unearthing ancient, terrible truths. As the lines between treachery and love grow less certain, Mariah must learn to trust in her power—and her heart.

The fires of change are burning. The scourge of the earth is awake. Will Mariah be enough to save them, or will the world fall into darkness forever?

Contains mature themes.