Some wars are won with armies. Others with secrets. In a kingdom where fear reigns and magic is weaponised, the Animari are enslaved and forced to serve a tyrant king. For years, rebellion simmered in the shadows, held together by those still brave enough to resist. But rebellions don’t wait forever. As war ignites, Rowen is thrust into a role she never wanted and forced into an uneasy alliance with Caelum—the kingdom’s most feared weapon, and her people’s sworn enemy. Cold. Merciless. Untouchable. He was forged to destroy her kind. Now, they must trust each other to survive. Torn between loyalty and survival, Rowen must decide what she’s willing to risk, and who she’s willing to become, to see her people free. Because in a world ruled by runes and cruelty, trusting Caelum might not just cost her the war. It might cost her everything.