The capital city of the Anirian Empire simmers with unrest. The emperor stands as the last scion of the imperial dynasty, but at sixteen, the boy is powerless against an oppressive regent who seeks to tighten his hold on the throne. As sides are drawn and conspiracies are set into motion, six individuals emerge to carve a foothold for their own ambitions . . . A self-exiled warrior fueled by vengeance. A lowborn courtesan driven to rule. A once powerful general turned reclusive cripple. A gifted strategist intent on treachery. An idle hero and his honor-bound brother. Six individuals in a whirlwind of conflict, deception, lust, and murderous intrigue. Six individuals and only one can raise the four-century-old empire out of the ashes of collapse. The magic of the cloudfalls will show the way . . .