Sisters Lu and Min have always known their places as the princesses of the Diyi Huo empire: bold Lu expects to become the dynasty’s first female ruler, while timid Min believes she'll live in Lu's shadow. But when their cousin is named heir instead, Lu goes on the run, leaving Min to face the court alone.
To reclaim her birthright, Lu forms a tenuous alliance with Nok, the lone survivor of a clan of wolf shapeshifters . . . who has never learned to shift. Meanwhile, Min's own hidden power awakens—a forbidden magic that could let her claim the throne herself. But there is only room for one Emperor, and the sisters might become each other’s greatest enemy.
A richly imagined fantasy inspired by East Asian history, this first book in a series weaves a story of ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.