Sparrow “Ro” Meadowcroft is about to get the promotion she’s always dreamed of – curator of the museum where she works. She loves old things and the history that surrounds them, so when a patron leaves some items to the museum, Ro is eager to dig in. The sword in the stone that comes with those items is clearly a joke. A well-made but obvious replica meant to be a conversation starter. Why anyone would think that belonged in the museum is beyond her, but she can’t resist taking a crack at it and finding out if she’s the chosen one. And as it turns out…she is.

Newly crowned queen of the Radiant fae, Sparrow “Ro” Meadowcroft has two goals. First, to show her fae subjects that despite growing up in the mortal realm, she plans to honor the customs and practices of her new world. Second, to reunite the Radiant fae with the Grym fae. Or at least broker peace between the two estranged kingdoms. How? By returning to the Summer Palace, an old tradition that once brought both kingdoms and their rulers together for a time of relaxation and fellowship. She’s invited the ruler of the Grym, Queen Anyka Ro hopes the neutral ground of Willow Hall will provide a fresh start and a chance at diplomacy, but the old palace holds dark secrets that could mean the end of the Radiant fae. Or a new day for the Grym. Can Ro win Anyka over or has too much blood already been spilled? And why does Willow Hall seem like the start of more trouble? All Ro knows for sure is that magic abounds in the Summer Palace. And not all of it’s good.

Queen Sparrow’s goal of reuniting the Radiant fae with the Grym fae isn’t going the way she’d hoped. Brokering peace is hard to do when Queen Anyka, the woman who sits on the Grym throne, believes both kingdoms should be hers to rule. Ro isn’t about to let that happen. Since recovering an ancient grimoire filled with dangerous dark magic, she understands better who and what she’s up against. Anyka craves possession of the grimoire and Ro knows why. Anyka wants to use the magic inside to take control of Ro’s kingdom. And eliminate Ro. Ro seeks the help and possible alliance with the fire-breathing citizens of the Cloud Kingdom, but they might be as dangerous as the book she’d hidden from Anyka. If she can win them over, it would be a major victory. The real question is can she get to the Cloud Kingdom alive? Someone is out to get her. And it might not be Anyka.

With the Cloud Kingdom’s allegiance secured, Queen Sparrow “Ro” turns her sights toward the neph—an elusive, shadow-dwelling people whose ancient power could shift the balance of the war. Mysterious, secretive, and feared even among the Grym, the neph are not easily won over. But Ro is willing to risk everything for peace—even if it means stepping into the darkness alone. Across the Whistling Sea, Queen Anyka is preparing for something far more brutal. Determined to seize the Radiant kingdom, she’s begun strengthening a monstrous alliance of her own—this time with the mountain trolls, whose brute strength and thirst for destruction make them terrifying allies. With every new army under her command, Anyka’s desire for domination grows stronger. As tensions rise and kingdoms teeter on the edge of war, Ro must navigate treacherous politics, unravel the neph’s motives, and confront her own inner doubts. The dangerous magic of Lady Cynzia’s grimoire still whispers to Ro in secret, tempting her to fight fire with fire. Peace may still be possible—but only if Ro can survive long enough to claim it.