First published 2005
The Skolian Empire lies in ruins. Personal conflicts have shattered the royal family and left their vast interstellar domain vulnerable. The Euban Concord has spent years weakening the Empire through assassinations and covert operations. Now they launch their final assault for total conquest. Only one person stands between the Empire and complete destruction: a young woman barely past her teens who has not even finished cadet training. The weight of an entire civilization rests on her untested shoulders. She must somehow rally the fractured Empire and find a way to defeat enemies who have planned this moment for years. The royal family that once held everything together has been torn apart by betrayal and conflict. The military forces that once seemed invincible have been compromised from within. As Euban ships advance across Imperial space, this inexperienced cadet faces an impossible choice: watch her people fall into slavery or risk everything on a desperate gamble that could save them all.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, space-opera, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Skolian Empire, Euban Concord
352 pages · Hardcover · Tor Books