First published 2003
The Prince of Ombria dies without warning, leaving his young son Kyel as heir. Within minutes, the prince's great-aunt Domina Pearl claims the regency and throws Lydea, the prince's longtime mistress, into the streets to perish. A mysterious girl named Mag rescues Lydea from certain death. Mag claims to be a waxling, an artificial creation of a sorceress who dwells in the buried city that lies beneath Ombria. This underground realm pulses with ghosts and ancient magic, connected to the world above through forgotten passages and secret doors. Lydea discovers an unlikely ally in the prince's bastard nephew, a silver-eyed man consumed with his art. Together, this unlikely trio must find a way to protect young Kyel from his great-aunt's iron grip. Domina Pearl wields her new authority with ruthless calculation, but the city itself holds powers that run deeper than political maneuvering. Lydea's fight becomes a battle between the living world above and the spectral city below.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, fantasy, magic
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-allies
Setting: Ombria
298 pages · Paperback · Ace