Brian Staveleys new standalone returns to the critically acclaimed Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne universe, following a priestess-assassin for the God of Death

Brilliant.V. E. Schwab, New York Times bestselling author

From the award-winning epic fantasy world of The Emperors Blades

Pyrre Lakatur is not, to her mind, an assassin, not a murderershe is a priestess. At least, she will be once she passes her final trial.

The problem isnt the killing. The problem, rather, is love. For to complete her trial, Pyrre has ten days to kill the seven people enumerated in an ancient song, including the one who made your mind and body sing with love / who will not come again.

Pyrre isnt sure shes ever been in love. And if she fails to find someone who can draw such passion from her, or fails to kill that someone, her order will give her to their god, the God of Death. Pyrres not afraid to die, but she hates to fail, and so, as her trial is set to begin, she returns to the city of her birth in the hope of finding love . . . and ending it on the edge of her sword.

""A complex and richly detailed world filled with elite soldier-assassins, mystic warrior monks, serpentine politics, and ancient secrets.""Library Journal, starred review, on The Emperor's Blades