Exiled from her home, Alliya, a half-witch half-fae, conceals a deadly magic in her father’s sundrenched empire. Seeking freedom from the shackles of royal life, her fae half-sister Serra leads them to the free city of Nazra. But when rebellion strikes, their world is shattered. Amid the chaos, the bearer of death lurks in the shadows, bound to kill for his cruel king. His job is simple: assassinate the witch, Alliya Ferallis. But an unforeseen, rogue magic has other plans. After accidentally binding her life to the fae assassin who tried to kill her, Alliya must survive as a new recruit in the brutal Guild of Cruor. Meanwhile, Serra searches for refuge and freedom in the most prestigious Siren house in Varien, where beauty is both addictive and deceiving. As the sisters face separate paths, their brother Adryan, born and raised to be emperor, will do anything to find them, including venture into the rebellion. But as a greater evil emerges, only the fates will decide who lives and who dies.