Not all fairy tales end happily ever after.
Life in the Iron Mountains is harsh and unforgiving. After the death of her beloved uncle, Yining has survived by becoming a skilled thief and an even better liar. When she acquires an enchanted ring that holds the key to a brighter future, her step-aunt steals it — and Yining must venture into the imperial heart of the kingdom to seize it back.
Amid the grandeur of the palace she catches the eye of Prince Zixin, ruthless and ambitious, who tempts her with a world she has never imagined. But nothing there is as it appears, and she is soon caught in a tangle of power, treachery and greed. Her only ally is Jin, the cunning advisor to a rival court, who keeps dangerous secrets of his own. To break free, Yining will have to unravel the mystery of her own past and fight for a future that both frightens and calls to her.
Sue Lynn Tan, author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, braids Cinderella together with Chinese folklore into an atmospheric court fantasy with two morally grey male leads and a slow-burning romance built on mutual distrust. First in the Never Ever After series.
