It's been four days since King Ashay returned from the Battle of Mixi. Four days, and not a word has been passed on to Emmie or anyone else in the Nest. Something happened during that battle-- something that shook a god --and not even Deacon knows what it is that has caused the King's unsettling silence. Emmie, confined to the Nest, aches to peel back the layers of what's haunting him. But while she waits, she watches Calliope: the flawless new concubine offered for peace. With every graceful move and lovely song, she weaves tales of closeness to the King. To the Nest, which has been smothered by a decade of sadness, Calliope brings light. But for Emmie, her presence draws out something darker--something made of scraping thorns, consuming flames, and thick shadows that attack her in her weakest moments. As Emmie unravels the King's secret and struggles to repair her broken spirit, one fear stays rooted in the back of her mind: what if Order's prophecy was wrong