nLyra Selene returns to the incandescent magic of Amber & Dusk in a second installment about the corrosions of even the most dazzling dreams, and the strength of hope amidst darkness. n nMirage, triumphant in her coup of the Amber Empire, returns to the palais prepared to take her place as empress. With the support of her friends and a tentative, blossoming romance with Sunder, Mirage is on the cusp of taking hold of everything she has ever wanted. nHowever, her place in the sun is not as sure as she expected, nor is it quite as bright as she imagined. n nWhen the Empress Severines body was recovered from the battle, Mirage discovered she was not dead after all. Rather, Severine is in a coma, her every breath a threat to Mirages newfound power. Worse, a distant cousin, Gavin dArs, appears at court with the challenge of his blood claim. As Mirage uncovers more secrets from her familys past, she proposes a series of ancient, grueling trials to determine the most deserving heir. But in Mirages fight to defend her vision for the empire, she begins to splinter all of her alliances. Will the battle for control leave anyone untainted?n