An epic and exhilarating story of deception, love and revenge, from the
extraordinary Sunday Times and New York Times number-one-bestselling author of
DIVINE RIVALS. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sarah J Maas and Shelby
Mahurin. Brienna is an arden, a student of the five passions ? art, music, wit,
dramatics and knowledge. On the summer solstice in her seventeenth year, she
hopes to become mistress of the passion ? one who has mastered her area of
study. But Brienna knows that she was not granted a coveted place at her
passion-house because of talent, like her arden-sisters. She is here because
someone wished her hidden. Brienna has never learned her father?s identity. All
she knows is that her mother was Valenian ? from the land of elegance, etiquette
and learning ? and her father was Maevan. Brienna has never set foot in Maevana,
but knows it is a wild, windswept place, fiercely proud of its ancient heritage
of magical warrior queens ? yet now suffering under the rule of a tyrannical
king. Then Brienna begins to have visions: the inherited memories of a long-dead
Maevan ancestor, who hid the legendary Stone of Eventide. If the Stone can be
found, the rightful queen of Maevana can be restored to the throne. And Brienna
has the power to do it. Swept into a dangerous new life of secret alliances,
generations-old enmities, deep family secrets and smouldering first love,
Brienna must ask herself what is stronger: the bond of chosen family, or that of
blood . . .