First published 2020
Tarisai grows up alone with The Lady, a mother who disappears for months at a time. The Lady sends her to Aritsar's capital to compete for a spot on the Crown Prince's Council of 11. Council members share the Ray, a mystical connection stronger than family bonds. Tarisai craves this belonging after years of isolation. She excels in the competition and earns the Prince's trust. But The Lady planted a magical compulsion in her daughter before she left. Tarisai must murder the Crown Prince once he believes in her completely. The wish burns inside her, impossible to resist through willpower alone. Tarisai refuses to become her mother's weapon. She searches for a way to break free from the deadly command while protecting the Prince she has grown to care for. Her struggle pits her desire for family against her need to forge her own destiny.
Genres: coming-of-age, fantasy, magic, young-adult, young-adult-fantasy, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Aritsar
343 pages · Hardcover · Amulet Books
Content warnings: emotional-abuse, mental-illness