In this stunning conclusion to the Raven's Trade duology that began with The Gilded Crown, Hellevir's bargain with Death to bring the ones she loves back to life - including the princess she risked everything to save - may just lead to the ultimate sacrifice. Hellevir's gift to raise the dead once thrust her into a dangerous web of court politics where she was bound to protect Princess Sullivain, the sole heir to the kingdom's throne. But the more Hellevir risked to keep Sullivain alive and the more deeply she fell in love with her, the greater the cost became. Lives can only be granted by the strange figure who rules the afterlife, and there is always a price to pay.

Now, as Sullivain's hunger for power grows and the threats to her reign become only too real, Hellevir is faced with the choice, either to help the Princess in her fight for the Crown, or stand against her. Cast out to the fringes of a country on the verge of civil war, Hellevir must unravel the last of Death's riddles and decide, once and for all, who deserves to live, and what a life is worth.