A Venom Dark and Sweet
The Banished Prince has returned to seize the dragon throne, using mass poisonings to keep the kingdom of Daxi bound in fear and suspicion. Ning, a young shennong-shi trained in the old, precise art of tea-based magic, has helped Princess Zhen escape into exile, alongside Zhen's loyal bodyguard Ruyi and Ning's newly recovered sister Shu. Together the four women travel the kingdom seeking allies willing to help reclaim Zhen's throne, but Ning's nightmares of a golden serpent keep pulling her attention toward something even older and more dangerous than the fight over the crown. The second book of the Book of Tea duology, this YA fantasy blends political intrigue and an ancient, mounting cosmic threat.
A shennong-shi (tea-magic practitioner) escorting an exiled princess while haunted by visions of an ancient evil.
Princess Zhen's loyal bodyguard.
Ning's younger sister, recently healed and traveling with the group.