authoraspennoble
When the holy empire of Monteria conquers the kingdom of Valance, it uses artifice and ritual to control the land's Gifted - those touched by the Seasons. Maeve Stolanis - daughter of a traitor and Winterborn assassin-hides her heritage behind the blade her father forged her to wield. Remin Ethrius, son of the conqueror, is haunted by the cost of victory.
Their paths collide when a failed assassination sends Maeve to a Monterian labor camp - and into Remin's investigation. Bound together by imperial artifice, they navigate a city where rebellion simmers, faith fractures, and stolen power moves in the shadows. To survive, they must uncover a deadly conspiracy while contending with secrets, politics, and a pull neither is prepared to name.
A story of reclamation - of identity, magic, and mercy - in a world that worships control.