When Queen Alaiya took the throne at sixteen, she was too young, too unprepared, and too alone. But ten years later, she is no longer the frightened girl who wore the crown in mourning-she is a ruler forged by fire. Just as she begins to feel secure in her reign, something awakens in the night.
Shadows move where they should not. Livestock vanish. Dark figures linger in the trees, watching. When rumors of eerie creatures spreading across her kingdom reach her ears, Alaiya turns to a mysterious seer who reveals a chilling truth. A veil between worlds has been torn open, and only Alaiya holds the power to seal it.
But there is another problem! A ruthless enemy plots her downfall and treachery festers within her court. Alaiya must unravel the secrets of her past and face the terrifying truth about the magic stirring within her. The shadows are not just watching her ... they are waiting. And if she does not master them, they will consume her kingdom-and her soul.