In the treacherous corridors of 8th-century Constantinople, where power is won through cunning and ambition, a young woman is destined to shape the fate of an empire.

Seventeen-year-old Thekla, fierce and relentless, has been abandoned at the altar for the third time. Determined to reclaim her betrothed—or make him pay—she sets out for the imperial capital, armed only with her wits and her blade. But Constantinople is no place for the faint-hearted. Here, intrigue and betrayal lurk in every shadow, and survival demands more than mere determination.

Amidst the dazzling splendor of the Byzantine court, Thekla crosses paths with Irini of Athens—a strikingly beautiful orphan plucked from obscurity to wed Co-Emperor Leon, son of the ruthless Constantine. But Irini is no mere pawn. Beneath her delicate exterior lies an unyielding will and an insatiable hunger for power.

As Thekla and Irini forge an uneasy alliance, the city erupts with unrest, torn apart by religious conflict and political machinations. In this volatile world of shifting loyalties, ambition can be a weapon, and trust can be fatal. Will Thekla become Irini’s greatest ally—or her most dangerous rival?

The rise of an empress begins …

Janet McGiffen

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