It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empireās impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. Theyāve seen what happens to those who do.
But when Laiaās brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empireās greatest military academy.
There, Laia meets Elias, the schoolās finest soldierāand secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny heās being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwinedāand that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.
