Blood Heir

The prison bore a sharp resemblance to the dungeons of Anastacya s childhood: dark, wet, and made of unyielding stone that leaked grime and misery. There was blood here, too; she could sense it all, tugging at her from the jagged stone steps to the torch-blackened walls, lingering at the edges of her consciousness like an ever-present shadow.

It would take so very little a flick of her will for her to control it all.

At the thought, Ana twined her gloved fingers tighter around the worn furs of her hood and turned her attention back to the oblivious guard several paces ahead. His varyshki bull-leather boots clacked in smooth, sharp steps, and if she listened closely enough, she could hear the faint jingle of the goldleaves she d used to bribe him in his pockets.

She was not a prisoner this time; she was his customer, and that sweet rattle of coins was a constant reminder that he was for now on her side.

Still, the torchlight cast his flickering shadow on the walls around them; it was impossible not to see this place as the fabric of her nightmares and hear the whispers that came with.

Monster. Murderer.

Papa would have told her that this was a place filled with demons, where the evilest men were held. Even now, almost a year after his death, Ana found her mouth running dry as she imagined what he would say if he saw her here.
Ana shoved those thoughts away and kept her gaze straight ahead. Monster and murderer she might be, but that had nothing to do with her task at hand.

She was here to clear her name of treason. And it all depended on finding one prisoner.

I m telling you, he won t give you nothing. The guard s coarse voice pulled her from the whispers. Heard he was on a mission to murder someone high-profile when he was caught.

He was talking about the prisoner. Her prisoner. Ana straightened, grasping for the lie she had rehearsed over and over again. He ll tell me where he hid my money.

The guard threw her a

Amélie Wen Zhao

Zhao shines in the fast-paced and vivid combat scenes, which lend a cinematic quality that pulls readers in. NYT Book Review

Blood Heir is cinematic storytelling at its best. A stunning new voice in YA, Amélie Wen Zhao has drawn characters who are as complex and captivating as the fantastical world she s built. Get ready for a retelling like you ve never seen before.
Adrienne Young, New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep and The Girl the Sea Gave Back

Sure to keep readers turning pages . Perfect for fans of Amy Tintera or Sarah J. Maas, but readers should prepare for plenty of heartbreak.  Booklist

"[A] pointed exploration into the consequences of exploitation and the defining nature of choices." Publishers Weekly

"Ana is not the typical damsel in distress."  Kirkus Reviews