Twelve Blades in Contempt

Medieval Japan-inspired progression/epic fantasy, mixing elements of Cradle, The Rage of Dragons and The Poppy War

Her clan believes she is nothing. She’ll have to start over, and prove herself to everyone.

Aiya is a Ginju, a hidden assassin of the Egaishan Empire. She is the black sheep of her clan, grappling for a connection with her deity. Her world is one of ridicule by her own family, forced into doing their biddings. Chafing under the heavy expectations of her father, a collision with a rival clan provides her with the chance to prove herself.

But a grievous mistake causes their plan to backfire, forcing Aiya to choose between loyalty and independence. As civil unrest widens cracks in the empire, Aiya must decide for herself how best to forge her path. To protect her brothers and win respect in her land, she’ll need to turn a new leaf and oppose her clan and her empire. She must conspire with clans once held in contempt and reach new heights of power and create a new world of their own, in a world of spirits, deities and conniving lords. Along the way she will be forced to find her place, her morality and her strength.