Tantus flourishes as a vast and rich empire, built off of slavery and pillaging. In its heart, assassin Adelia Kiyoto has little knowledge of her life before she was stolen from her family. Gifted with the ability to shapeshift, she is enlisted by the palace to impersonate the Tantian princess, Laurelai Arlington, in an international tournament. If she wins, they'll set her free. When the murder of a Duke disrupts the castle, all eyes turn to Adelia. And as the murders increase with every passing round of the tournament, Adelia discovers there are darker forces at play than the secrets that bind her.