Gods, Blood, Magic A darkness has taken control of Culhuacan, one of the Toltec’s most powerful kingdoms. The bloodthirsty sorcerer god Smoking Mirror has sent her patron god—the benevolent Feathered Serpent–into exile, but the Feathered Serpent is determined not only to regain his sacred city, but also to end human sacrifice all together. Princess Quetzalpetlatl barely escaped Culhuacan with her life, but when the Feathered Serpent tasks her with helping his mortal son Topiltzin fulfill his divine mandate, she eagerly embraces her destiny. Finally she can avenge her father’s murder at the hands of the Smoking Mirror’s high priest, and return home. Yet the price for involving herself in a war among the gods is high, paid in blood and loss. But for Topiltzin—who’s more than just a brother to her—she’s willing to do anything. Even sacrifice her own heart. "A wonderfully immersive look at the Tolteca civilization, which brings to life the old myths-giving voice to a strong cast of characters who linger with the reader long after they have closed the book." - Aliette de Bodard, 2013 Nebula winning author of Immersion "Morganfield delivers an elegant tale of love and honor, passion and betrayal ... a fascinating journey through the tangled webs of rivalry and betrayal that surround a royal family in the world of the ancient Toltecs." - J. Kathleen Cheney, author of The Golden City

Having defeated the sorcerer god Smoking Mirror and reclaimed her throne, Quetzalpetlatl and her brother Topiltzin set out to found Quetzalcoatl’s new holy city and end human sacrifice throughout the Toltec world. But Smoking Mirror hasn’t abandoned his own ambitions for power; with his allies–mortal and divine–threatening war among the gods, he’s shifted his focus to Quetzalpetlatl and her budding magical powers. Along with her deep, personal connection to his hated enemy Quetzalcoatl, she would be the perfect addition to his ranks, if only he could convince her that she’s working for the wrong side in this conflict. And he knows the one secret that will tear apart everything she thinks she knows about her beloved god…and herself.

Death is her gift. Discovering the truth about her forgotten past sets Quetzalpetlatl—former Queen of Tollan and High Priestess of Quetzalcoatl—on a new journey, to rebuild her life from the ashes of the Feathered Serpent’s deception. Her top priority is to rescue her son from the underworld, but the Lord of the Dead will only resurrect him in exchange for the most powerful of the gods: Quetzalcoatl himself. For such a dangerous mission, Quetzalpetlatl needs help. She finds allies among the gods, but the only one willing—and powerful enough—to take on the Feathered Serpent is the one god who’s responsible for so much of her personal pain these last thirty-five years. The Smoking Mirror holds the key to everything she’s ever longed for…if she’s willing to give him the one thing he’s sought for countless bundles of year. But with Tollan’s throne and the future of the Tolteca empire at stake, is the price one that humanity can afford to pay?