A deliciously dark standalone set in the same world as the YA romantic fantasy Of Flame and Fury, where star-crossed enemies gamble with their hearts, empires, and the fate of a lost god.

On an island marred by pageantry and pain, power comes at an impossible price.

Inna behaves like a perfect crime family heiress—poised, cunning, calculated. Behind this glamorous facade, she secretly hunts for the sinister truth behind her older sister, Erika Pallo’s death, despite the convenient cover-up she’s been led to believe. Inna can feel an enemy lurking in the shadows. They may even be hiding in plain sight.

Rylan sculpted himself into a talented thief, as guarded as he is intent on retribution for the murder of his family nearly two decades ago. With the help of his illusion magic and a wealthy sponsor, Rylan plans to steal a journal from the Pallo family’s vault—one that contains a riddle leading to a forgotten god: the Serpent King. Whoever wakes the god will have the capacity to destroy their enemies.

But when Inna catches Rylan sneaking past her family’s security, she devises a delightfully volatile deal: allow her to accompany him into the vault, where the Pallo’s most well-kept secrets are buried—or face the gruesome consequences of capture. As the city’s dark underbelly bares its teeth, their uneasy alliance draws them close enough for bitter attraction to ignite into something more.

Though some hearts aren’t meant to be stolen, and love knows nothing of blood-red revenge…