The first book in an epic new romantic fantasy trilogy set in a fractured realm rich with magic and set against the backdrop of a perilous quest. 'A Tolkienesque journey through a gorgeous, shimmering world... Venetia Constantine is a bright new star' - Samantha Shannon, bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree Leilani Stellarion is cursed. The last of a ruined bloodline, she's shunned for her volatile Starborn magic, which grants her prophetic visions but is slowly corrupting her mind. Branded a pariah, Leilani is blamed for the Sickening, a wasting curse that fractured the realms of Arcelia and plunged them into war. When her dying mother's health deteriorates and a forced marriage threatens her future, Leilani seizes the chance to reclaim her fate. A prophecy speaks of an ancient relic that could end the Sickening – and she's determined to find it. To retrieve the sceptre, she must survive the deadly climb to the Astral Mountain, forge alliances with enemies, outwit rebel forces, and navigate her own treacherous feelings for a rival envoy, which grow under the watchful eye of her betrothed. Hunted by a vengeful spectre and haunted by her magic, Leilani must decide what she's willing to sacrifice in the name of redemption – before her powers consume her.