by Emily Varga
First published 2026
Yaseema catalogs fae relics for the Empire during the day, but she has a secret mission. Each night, she steals back the magical artifacts to restore power to her conquered homeland. When she discovers the key to cross the River into the fae realm, she sees her chance to save her dying people. The fae world holds dangers she never imagined. Monsters hide behind beautiful faces, including a cold captain who sees through her deceptions. He serves a brutal regime but secretly works to destroy it from within. Both Yaseema and the captain seek the same prize: the crown of an ancient Fae Queen. Yaseema possesses magic she doesn't understand. The captain needs her help to find the crown and save his family from a terrible fate. She could help him succeed, or she could steal the crown for her own people first. Ancient curses and nightmare creatures stand in their way. As they fight together, secrets emerge and their hearts become the greatest risk of all.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, adventure, fantasy
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers
Setting: Fae Realm, Empire
Period: Ancient
416 pages · Hardcover · Wednesday Books
Content warnings: violence