Persephone Endellion only a few months into her rebellion against her uncle has achieved total victory. She sits safely upon the Arecian throne knowing that she has achieved all that she dared to dream and yet contentment eludes her. Persephone knows her enemies while in disarray have nevertheless survived the war and are plotting her destruction. Worse still is the lingering presence of Ciera Ansley in her life, the vile girl haunting her mind like an infection...like a wound that never seems to heal, like a cancer whose presence always hints at something much worse then itself. Persephone knows she must be rid of the girl by any means necessary...and yet...