For months, Emperor Godfrey of House Richter has prepared his forces, watching and waiting as his birthright is torn apart by those who question his right to rule. In the south, his uncle stubbornly refuses to accept the reality of the state of the nation, while in the west, the treacherous General Theoderic dares to claim the crown for himself. With his preparations finally complete, Godfrey and his allies strike out at last, planning to eliminate his two greatest rivals with the simultaneous launch of two campaigns, one against the wealthiest city in the land, and the other into the desolate Ashfields. Lady Marshal Frieda is no stranger to war, but for the first time in her life, she now draws her blade against her compatriots, willing to sacrifice her honour and if necessary, her life for the sake of her lord's vision for the Empire. Lady Mallory von Gerd, one of the only souls in all the realms to know the truth that lies within the Emperor's heart, has already surrendered the woman she was for the cause of order and peace, though the ordeal ahead may prove all her efforts fruitless. Lady Erika von Dieter, a feared and mistrusted Death Maiden, cares nothing for noble intentions or rightful claims. Driven only by her desire for revenge, Godfrey's enemies are her own for as long as it takes her vengeance to be completed. Failure is not an option. Compromise with traitors is unconscionable. The broken Empire of Sanressia shall be restored by force, or not at all.

Alice Ruiz has always loved a good romance-especially the ones written by bestselling author Aubrey Miller. But when Miller's latest novel features a sapphic love story, Alice is forced to confront the one narrative she's never been brave enough to explore: her own. Then a chance encounter puts Alice face-to-face with the author herself. Aubrey is confident, magnetic, and infuriatingly kind-and maybe, exactly the person Alice needs to start turning the page on her past. As a tentative friendship grows into something deeper, the line between admiration and longing begins to blur. But this isn't one of Aubrey's books, and real-life romance is messier than fiction. What if the perfect love story Alice has been looking for in shelves was the one she was meant to write herself?

Falsely accused of treason against the Empire, Princess Yekaterina Petrova finds shelter in her homeland of Mir. Though she is amongst friends once more, the Imperial Regent remains unshakeable in his conviction that she is guilty of attempting to assassinate the Emperor. Now, one of the largest armies ever assembled in the Empire's history prepares to march upon Mir, under orders to deliver the so-called "Traitor Princess" to justice at all costs. With the rest of the Empire descending into civil war, the people of Mir can rely on none but themselves. Lady Ladislava Chernova doubts her capacity to contribute to the defence of the realm, and increasingly finds herself struggling with her sentiments towards her Princess, but remains just as devoted to her as ever. Lady Beatrice Willows, the confident and wise Court Sorceress of Mir, is no stranger to guiding the kingdom through myriad ordeals, but the Regent's threat may finally prove to be the one that is beyond her abilties, not least when he may not be the greatest source of danger. Father Maxim Drozdov, a humble priest, has no experience in the worlds of politics and warfare, but when his quiet hometown becomes a critical site to the war effort, his peaceful life is shattered, and he finds himself more involved in the conflict that he ever imagined was possible. Will Yekaterina and her allies prevail against the insurmountable odds arrayed against them? Or does her kingdom have no choice but to accept total subjugation?

After decades of misrule, the fate of the Empire of Sanressia hangs in the balance. Throughout the realm, the great and powerful await the demise of the ailing Emperor Sigismund, eager to exploit the uncertainty of succession for their own ends. As the most influential people of the realm descend upon the capital of Renewal, the future of the Empire appears murky. The court is powerless to stop the re-emergence of factions and contradictory visions for the future. Within the growing chaos are three who may yet have a larger role to play than they believe. Lady Ladislava, a young noblewoman of one of Sanressia's subject kingdoms, dreams of assisting her best friend in her mission to bring long overdue reform and support the people of the Empire. Sir Zachary, the only son of a house accused of treachery twice over and derided as heretics, longs to restore the honour of his family and faith in the eyes of the those that once counted his forebears as equals. General Frieda, a rising star of the Imperial Army from the humblest of origins, wants only to uphold her oath and defend the Empire and its citizens from all enemies, both those without, and those within. All of them wish for a peaceful and more just Empire. But as plans laid long in advance come to fruition, deals are struck behind closed doors, and engines of war are made ready, the fate of Sanressia may already be sealed. Content Warnings: Violence, war, poisoning, disease, religious persecution and xenophobia.