BOOK THREE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES: An Entertainment Weekly Summer Reads pick and New York Times bestseller! Beyond the Martial Empire and within it; the threat of war looms ever larger. Helene Aquilla; the Blood Shrike; is desperate to protect her sister's life and the lives of everyone in the Empire. But she knows that danger lurks on all sides: Emperor Marcus; haunted by his past; grows increasingly unstable and violent; while Keris Veturia; the ruthless Commandant; capitalizes on the Emperor's volatility to grow her own power--regardless of the carnage she leaves in her path. Far to the east; Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court; but in stopping the Nightbringer. But in the hunt to bring him down; Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would help her; and is drawn into a battle she never thought she'd have to fight. And in the land between the living and the dead; Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so; he has vowed himself to an ancient power that demands his complete surrender--even if that means abandoning the woman he loves.