Now in trade paperback, the fifth book in The Song of the Shattered Sands series--an epic fantasy with a desert setting, filled with rich worldbuilding and pulse-pounding action. The reign of the kings of Sharakhai has been broken. The blood mage, Queen Meryam, now rules the city along with the descendants of the fabled twelve Kings. In the desert, Çeda has succeeded in breaking the asirim's curse. Those twisted creatures are now free, but their freedom comes at great cost. Nalamae, the goddess who aided Çeda, lies dead, slain in battle with her sister goddess. Çeda, knowing Nalamae would have been reborn on her death, sets out on a quest to find her. The trail leads Çeda to Sharakhai where, unbeknownst to her, others are searching for Nalamae as well. Çeda's quest to find her forces her into a terrible decision: work with the Kings or risk Sharakhai's destruction. Whatever her decision, it won't be easy. Sharakhai is once more threatened by the forces of the neighboring kingdoms. As the powers of the desert vie for control of the city, Çeda, her allies, and the fallen Kings must navigate the shifting fates before the city they love falls to the schemes of the desert gods. Praise for The Song of Shattered Sands series “Çeda and Emre share a relationship seldom explored in fantasy, one that will be tried to the utmost as similar ideals provoke them to explore different paths. Wise readers will hop on this train now, as the  journey promises to be breathtaking .” —Robin Hobb, bestselling author of  Fool’s Assassin "Fantasy and horror, catacombs and sarcophagi, resurrections and revelations: the book has them all, and Beaulieu wraps it up in a package that's  as graceful and contemplative as it is action-packed and pulse-pounding ." —NPR "The Song of Shattered Sands series is  both gripping and engrossing ." — Kirkus Reviews "Beaulieu richly imagines several multifaceted societies , a variety of arcane systems, and a host of supernatural entities."-- Publishers Weekly "Bradley P. Beaulieu continues to move the story forward in an intriguing fashion, weaving his plotlines into a great tapestry that promies a lot of great things to come."--Pat's Fantasy Hotlist "Beaulieu's  intricate world-building and complex characters  are quickly becoming the hallmarks of his writing, and if this opening volume is any indication, [this series] will be one of the next great fantasy epics." —B&N SF&F Blog "The city of Sharakhai and surrounding area is a living, breathing thing and I revel in it.  Beautiful writing, a deep and exciting story  and characters you care about." —Shelf Inflicted "[Beaulieu's] writing is more  an immersive experience  than anything else; he draws the reader in with such great skill. The first novel was an electrifying start to the series, providing a spectacular introduction to a multi-layered and captivating character living in a world whose layers match her own." —SFF World "[ With Blood Upon the Sand ] is an ambitious sequel, larger in scope than its predecessor – and it pulls it off magnificently. It’s  intelligent, well drawn and a lot of fun to read  – and so I’d recommend it wholeheartedly." —Sci-fi and Fantasy Reviews Bradley P. Beaulieu is the author of the Lays of Anuskaya Trilogy and The Song of the Shattered Sands series, beginning with the acclaimed Twelve Kings in Sharakhai . His writing has garnered many accolades, including a Gemmell Morningstar Award nomination and the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award. Chapter 1   Çeda followed the flow of traffic through the bazaar. All around her, the aisles were choked, the myriad patrons shoving past her, trading and chatting as if war hadn't nearly torn the city apart five months ago.   The meeting she was about to have was nothing if not dangerous. Nevertheless, Çeda found herself smiling beneath her veil. She wore a threadbare dress. A dusty, eggplant-colored turban wrapped her head. A beaten old shamshir hung from her belt. It was tatty attire at best, yet she felt like a queen. She hadn't realized how much she'd needed this homecoming until she'd arrived in Sharakhai.   Sümeya, the former First Warden of the Blade Maidens, walked alongside Çeda. She wore a head scarf as well, its veil covering her face. The skirt of her midnight blue dress was uncharacteristically long, frayed along the hem, hopelessly dusty from walking the streets of the city. "Where are we meeting the girl?"   Ahead of Çeda and Sümeya was Kameyl, the vanguard of their small contingent. Çeda pointed beyond her towering form to the horseshoe archway into the spice market. "Just inside the arch."   The last of their number, Jenise, one of Çeda's Shieldwives, trailed a few stalls behind. She wore a belted kaftan. Her brown, shoulder-length hair was unbound and flowed freely on the gentle wind. She'd never been to Sharakhai, and it showed in the way her striking green-and-gold eyes flitted around, the way she flinched when others brushed past h