Of the nine great houses of Fedosia, nine houses of alchemy, none hate each other more than the Red Shields and the White Guards. The queen is a Shield, the archmage a Guard, and bad blood has been brewing for a century.
Sofia is a Guard, wed to a count twice her age with three stepdaughters who despise her. Forbidden from leaving the house, she spends her days speaking to her stuffed macaw and playing with the shadows. But all changes when the count receives a summons from the queen, requiring all nobility of Fedosia to attend the prince's birthday.
Fedosia is vast, and Sofia travels to the capital with the count and his daughters-an adventure of a lifetime, and she's excited.
The prince is strange, and the throne has its secrets, but true trouble begins when Sofia falls for Aleksei, the captain of the Imperial Sentinels and the queen's nephew. He's ten years younger, and worse, he's a Shield.
The archmage is furious, the Royal Cup ends in blood and fire, the count turns up dead, and dark magic sparks war between the houses. As the great families draw their blades, Sofia runs away with Aleksei, but they don't get far. Not all enemies come from other houses. Some are much closer.