From bestselling author Maddie Martinez comes a deliciously dark sapphic retelling of The Phantom of the Opera drenched in Polish folklore–perfect for fans of Ava Reid, Catherynne M. Valente, and S.T. Gibson. A tale of obsession and desire… The city of Larzeg glitters as bright as its famous Nectar Performance House, where violinist Kasia has worked her fingers to the bone to chase one dream: becoming Perła, the theater’s prestigious concertmaster. When the current Perła mysteriously dies during a performance, Kasia refuses to be distracted by whispers of a phantom in the theater’s wings. All she sees is her chance to replace the fallen star―until the orchestra director refuses her an audition because of her Azjarian heritage. Devastated, Kasia is desperate enough to strike a bargain with the phantom of the theater―revealed to be Death herself. Behind her dark veil, Lady Death is prepared to help Kasia in her quest to become Perła, if Kasia becomes her companion. But one cannot be companion to Lady Death without bearing her mark, and soon Kasia discovers that her music is entrancing, capable of bending the audience to her will. This alluring new gift thrusts Kasia into the spotlight, but also into the city’s highest circles of power, where influential men seek to control her, Lady Death’s demands grow increasingly dangerous, and Kasia finds herself falling further into the thrall of a master who promises her everything… as long as Death can call Kasia hers.