by Artyom Lasilov
In the southern province of Bazalsh, loyalty is a performance, and every performance hides a blade. As whispers of independence ripple through the Yakish Imperium, Grand Duke Tamas Bazalshbol hosts glittering balls and quiet councils alike, balancing rebellion with survival. At his side stands Zabina, a trusted court attendant hiding a far more dangerous truth: she is an Ostor, an imperial agent trained in forbidden Weaving, slowly unraveling beneath the weight of secrecy, isolation, and desire. Baron Miklos of Karndrod knows exactly what she is. Once forged by the same ruthless order, he has remade himself into a charming noble, and a key figure in Bazalsh’s independence movement. Loving Zabina was never part of the plan. Neither was caring what it might cost him. When a new Mancer arrives from the Okos Academy, sent by the Emperor himself, the fragile balance of Bazalsh begins to fracture. Old loyalties resurface. Hidden alliances strain. And the magic meant to control emotion and truth threatens to consume those who rely on it most. In a court where intimacy is leverage, obedience is poison, and freedom carries a blood price, each choice tightens the noose.
