Riven Calder was just a mapmaker’s apprentice until a falling star burned a king’s sigil into his palm. Now every empire hunts him — because his compass doesn’t point north. It points to thrones.The legend says whoever holds it can find the Crown of Ash. The crown that built an empire… and drowned it.Pursued by warlords and betrayed by fate, Riven must cross the Iron Desert and drowned ruins to survive. But the compass shows him two golden threads: his, and Selene Varr’s. The swordswoman sworn to kill him.Two souls. One throne. Zero escape.Follow the map. Or be buried by it.