by Joan He
First published 2022
Zephyr controls her own destiny through strategic brilliance. She serves warlordess Xin Ren in a realm split between three factions, each led by a woman seeking to claim the continent. The year 414 of the Xin Dynasty brings chaos as a puppet empress sits powerless on the throne. Zephyr faces an impossible choice when Ren's honor threatens their survival in a world where betrayal determines who lives. To save Ren's followers from massacre, Zephyr must enter an enemy camp undercover. There she meets Crow, a rival strategist whose skills finally match her own. The encounter forces Zephyr to question everything she knows about loyalty and survival. Multiple enemies surround them, and some threats come from beyond the human world entirely.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, fantasy, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Xin Dynasty, China
Period: 414 AD
368 pages · Paperback · Text Publishing