Circus performer Mira has spent her life on the run. Training in secret, she intends to win glory and protection by competing for a place in one of the magical royal Orders. But when her candidacy puts Mira in the crosshairs of the Ravalian emperor, the Trials become her lifeline. And failure means death.

Illegitimate princess Scarlett is fighting to withstand her half-brothers' sinister ambitions and her sorceress mother's vicious schemes. When Scarlett meets Mira, she sees an opportunity to alter the balance of power - but only if she can keep Mira alive through the Trials and use her as a weapon in a bloody bid for the throne.

Navigating a glittering world of magic, court intrigue and forbidden romance, both Mira and Scarlett must decide whether they're willing to sacrifice everything - even their own lovers - for power and revenge. Because in the cutthroat Ravalian Court, where alliances shift in a heartbeat and seduction is the prelude to murder, only one thing is certain: not everyone will survive . . .