"Only through death may I leave the Black Diamond's side..." Tired of scraping for food in her war-torn homeland, Colette sneaks aboard a ship to Ranigh, the prosperous Empire capital, to seek her fortune. When she's caught stealing, she is forced to pledge an Oath to a life of assassinhood. When she's bid to kill someone she cares for, what will Colette choose? Obedience or love?

Langley is a valued assassin in the Black Diamond’s guild of mercenaries and spies. But what of his life before? Sixteen-year-old Langellus is the son of the famous obilin dance master and travelling performer, Zosar von Madan. His days involve endless training in this intricate form of masked dance, his nights watching carnivalia performances both for the affluent and the poor. When an assassin invades the camp and attacks the obilin master, Langellus vows to find out who tried to kill his father, and why. What does the Goddess of Death have in store for Langellus? Will he find Zosar von Madan’s would-be killer before it’s too late? Discover Langley’s thrilling origin story, set eight years before Oath, and his journey from masked performer to deadly assassin.

Rhoda is a valued assassin in the Black Diamond's guild of mercenaries and spies. But what of her life before? A young woman thrilled to marry a wealthy lord, Rhoda anticipates having strong children who will one day challenge Empress Margaux for the throne of Ranigh. But is she destined for a happy life with her new husband? Or does the Goddess of Death have bigger plans for her? Discover Rhoda's heartbreaking origin story, set twenty years before Oath, and her journey from innocent adolescence to an assassin hardened to steel.

Chanya is a valued assassin in the Black Diamond's guild of mercenaries and spies. But what of her life before? Saved from the noose at the last moment, Chanya is conscripted to a battalion marching to war. But their leader, General Thitus, insists on a perilous route through the freezing mountains. Chanya and her fellow conscripts wonder if they are going the war at all. What is General Thitus planning? What awaits them in this icy wasteland? Why won't he turn back, even when soldiers starve and freeze around them? Discover Chanya's gripping origin story, set twelve years before Oath, and her journey from a doomed drug addict to an assassin hardened to steel.