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.