A lawless wilderness. A polished court. Individual fares, each on a quest to expose a system of corruption.
The desolate canyons of Alcoroâand the people desperate enough to hide thereâcouldnât be more different from the opulent glass palace and lush forests of Moquoia. But the harsh desert and gleaming court are linked through their past, present, and future: a history of abductions in the desert to power Moquoiaâs quarries and factories, and a bleak, inhumane future built on the sweat and sacrifice of these bond laborers.
But events unfolding in the present could change everything. In the desert, outlaw Larkâknown to most as the Sunshield Banditâhas built a name for herself attacking slaversâ wagons and freeing the captives inside. But while she shakes the foundation of Moquoiaâs stratified society, she also has to fight to protect her rescueesâand herselfâfrom the unforgiving world around them.
In the Moquoian court, young ambassador Veran hopes to finally make his mark by dismantling the unjust labor system, if he can navigate the strict hierarchy and inexplicable hostility of the prince.
And caught in the middle of it all, Tamsin is trapped within four walls, the epicenter of a secret political coup to overthrow the Moquoian monarchy and perpetuate the age-old system of injustice.
Separated by seas of trees and sand, the outlaw, the diplomat, and the prisoner are more connected than anyone realizes. Their personal fates might just tip the balance of power in the Eastern Worldâif that very power doesnât destroy them first.