by Sabaa Tahir
First published 2026
Crown prince Quil Farrar watches his armies shrink as the brutal Kegari forces overrun the Martial Empire. His aunt Empress Helene fights beside him, but they are losing ground. The woman Quil loves, Sirsha Westering, disappeared months ago, leaving him torn between saving his people and finding her. Quil seeks help from dangerous allies while Sirsha remains trapped by Div, an ancient evil that feeds on her magical heart. Div torments Sirsha and demands she uncover the creature's dark past to win her freedom. Meanwhile, Cero bet-Dafra turns against his former leader Aiz as she descends into madness and violence. Cero searches for hope among his people, the Kegari, but uncovers secrets that threaten everything. A devastating lie could destroy the world, and each character must face the darkness within themselves to survive.
Genres: fiction, adventure, fantasy, action, dark-fantasy, epic-fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotionally-intense, epic, gritty, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, redemption-arc, separated-lovers
Setting: Martial Empire
Content warnings: death, torture, violence