The war has begun. And both sides demand Diem's allegiance . . . or her death. After her disastrous coronation, Diem is now at the centre of the conflict between the Descended and the Guardians. With her newfound friends - and the man she's falling for - on one side, and the mortals she vowed to protect on the other, Diem must walk a careful line to save the people she loves from one another.

When the mystery of her unusual heritage starts to unravel, it sends Diem and Luther on an unexpected journey across the realms. The answers they seek may hold the key to winning the war, but finding them will require Diem to face painful truths about her mother, her bloodline, and her fate. The Crowns now have Diem in their sights, and while some could be her greatest allies, to end their oppressive reign, Diem must sort friend from foe and risk it all to build an army of her own.

Meanwhile, a powerful figure in the north has plans that could change everything . . .