The proud empress whose empire is threatened. The spy operating in her court. Together they must forge an alliance and rekindle a love that deceit destroyed. Yesterday, Empress Diana discovered that Scipio is not the most powerful Empire in human space. Vast alliances have been created in the far reaches of space, and they are embroiled in a deadly war. The victor will claim all of humanity as their prize. For decades, Petra has operated as a spy in Diana's court, getting close to the empress so that she can influence her to ally with the Transcend on the day the truth is revealed. But after joining the empress in her bed, Petra found herself giving more of her heart to Diana than even she realized. Today, Scipio has allied with the Transcend and joined the war against Orion. With a sad heart, Petra thought her mission in Scipio was complete, but it turns out the real work has just begun. Many in the Scipian Empire see this as the perfect time to strike out and take down Diana. She and Petra must fend off cunning politicians, assassination attempts, and ready their military to join in the Orion War—all while figuring out how to fall back in love following Petra’s lies and secrecy. Even though the pressure fuels their passion, it's not enough to rebuild a relationship. Somehow Diana and Petra must fix what is broken between them and find the strength in one another to save both the empire—and themselves.

Petra and Diana really need a vacation... Not that they stand any chance of getting one. With the threat on Alexandria quelled, the Empress and the Ambassador travel to Spica, capital of the Scipian Quadrant adjacent to the Hegemony of Worlds. There the fleets are being assembled to being the war, but more intrigue threatens to unravel all that Diana is trying to achieve. Petra must put her life on the line if she's to save her love, while Diana will need to take matters into her own hands to maintain control of the Empire. With the Hegemony already launching forays into Scipio, they must assemble the Empire's forces and strike back before the unthinkable happens.

Renewed assassination attempts have Petra determined than ever to keep Diana safe… …even if that means putting her in harms way. After a fresh wave of attempts on Diana’s life, Petra decides it’s time for more drastic measures. Xalta is an out of the way world, and the perfect place for Petra to train Diana and her Impera Protego under harsh and demanding conditions. Her goal is to build a bond between the empress and her guards that will make them an unbeatable team. While they are away, Mains and Tenna set a trap for whoever is trying to kill Diana. When it finally springs they discover that their ruse has made things infinitely more dangerous for the empress. Cut off on a distant world, Petra, Diana, and a few guards find themselves facing a far deadlier challenge than Petra had planned for. When all the chips are down, it’ll take everything the empress has to survive and see another day.