The Empire has many secrets. From its mysterious potions brewed by the Alchemist, hidden away in a secret lab...to the much more conspicuous Nightwind, the beast that plagues the Empire's citizens, consuming their life force under the cover of darkness. But there is another secret yet to be revealed that will shake the very foundation of the Empire itself. Should the wrong people discover this secret, the results could be disastrous. While Empress Morvanna tries to contain the information, the leaders of the old houses, still seething with age-old rivalries, seek to use the knowledge against her. So intent are they at gaining the throne, they will stop at nothing to destroy the Empress, even if it means tearing down the whole of the Empire with her. Caught in the middle of this power struggle, Phoenix must discover the truth for herself and decide just how far a person should go in the name of the greater good.