When his former mentor, Lord Huay, lays dying, Remare is summoned back to Japan. While there, Huay exacts a risky promise from his protégé: See to it that his final wishes for his successor are carried out, a task Remare will find more complex than he could have imagined and extends his stay in Japan indefinitely. Huay’s two sons will fight to the death for the chance to rule their empire, even if that means challenging Remare to a competition he can’t possibly win.Meanwhile, Miranda grows restless waiting for Remare to return. It’s been weeks since he left for the funeral of a friend. How many ceremonies and formal banquets must he attend? Learning Huay’s court is rife with dangerous politics and former allies who can’t be trusted, she suspects Remare is being held against his will and requests the help of Lord Valadon to get Remare back. Valadon agrees, but at a cost. A high one as the honor of both houses is now at stake.
