On the eve of her coronation, the sky turns garnet—and an assassin dies with a warning: Elowyn’s blood is the lock on a buried gate.
To keep her kingdom from being unmade, the princess of Aelrieth must trust the last man her court fears: Caelen Vael, a winged commander sworn to the Ember Guard and to secrets the throne buried long ago. As ash falls and banners dull, the Cult of the Sealed Flame crawls out of myth, hunting Elowyn as their catalyst.
Every step toward the truth tightens the noose: nobles scheming in gilded corridors, forbidden fire waking under her skin, and a prophecy that doesn’t promise victory—only choice. Caelen’s protection is ruthless, his loyalty impossible, and the heat between them is the one thing Elowyn can’t command… or deny.
If she claims the crown, she becomes the key. If she refuses it, her kingdom fractures. Beneath a bleeding sky, Elowyn must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice—power, love, or herself—to keep the darkness from remembering her name.