A shocking Sacrifice and a forbidden wedding could tear them apart. But these four almost-gods will fight for their freedom, even as it threatens to destroy them. Born with pale eyes, silver hair, and short, sickly lifespans, the Valtain are considered to be just a step below the gods. For hundreds of years, the isolated country of Ara has worshipped them. But after three of them are killed in an unprecedented Sacrifice, the four remaining Valtain spiral into grief and doubt. Sisine throws herself into leadership, despite her growing uncertainty. Alise embraces her fervent faith. Tarrin attempts to keep the peace. Del is consumed by anger. When Del decides to marry a prostitute in a fit of rebellious furor, he shocks Ara and shakes the core of the Church. The four Valtain are on the verge of being torn apart, even as they become more and more ensnared in a tangled web of betrayal, political intrigue, and ancient secrets. By the end of it all, they could discover power within themselves that they never imagined – or face destruction as their country and the Valtain Church crumble to ashes around them.