In the daring sequel to The Sun Blessed Prince, Elician and Cat must confront the goddess of death to save their nations - unless it's already too late.

Elician, a Giver with the power to raise the dead, is crowned King of Soleb, but it's forbidden for Givers to rule. However, Elician is determined to end a generations-long war with the kingdom of Alelune - and will marry Alelune's rightful heir to do so.

But Cat is a Reaper, able to kill with a touch, and is therefore feared by his own people. His claim to the throne is a gamble at best, until his tyrannical brother, Gillage, seizes power before Cat can lay his claim to it - and now the conflict Elician had hoped to avoid seems inevitable.

Just as the war between nations begins anew, the goddess of death releases a devastating plague across the continent. To stop it, Elician and Cat must confront Death herself, leaving Elician's rebellious sister, Fen, to do what she can to heal the sick in their absence. But when a coup threatens to upend her brother's reign, Fen must decide exactly what she is willing to sacrifice to help her brother succeed.

With the death toll rising and the struggle for the Alelunen throne in the balance, it's a race against time to appease the wrath of a god with the monarchies of both countries at stake.