He was supposed to stay dead.Julian Ashford wakes from an eighteen-month coma with no memory of the car accident that nearly killed him. His wealthy family welcomes him home with open arms, but something is terribly wrong. The memories that haunt his nights aren't of a drunk driver—they're of violence, betrayal, and a voice whispering that he knows too much.When he meets Miranda Leone, an outsider with secrets of her own, Julian discovers he wasn't in an accident at all. He was marked for death. And the people who tried to kill him are still watching.As Julian pieces together fragments of a conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels of politics and corporate power, he must confront an unbearable truth: his own family orchestrated his attempted murder. Now, trapped in a world of lies, gaslighting, and danger, Julian must resurrect not just his body but his will to survive.Because in the Ashford family, there are only two choices: stay silent and live, or speak the truth and die.But Julian has already died once. And he has nothing left to lose.

After a mysterious attack wipes his memory, an imperial guard discovers coded clues in his own belongings pointing to a conspiracy to kill the Imperatrix. As he pieces together his past, he realizes he was once part of the plot—and the mastermind is the mentor he still trusts. Torn between duty and forbidden feelings for the ruler he's sworn to protect, he must race against time to stop the assassination, even if it means exposing his own forgotten sins.

Once, Kael Vorthan was nothing—a sickly outcast rejected by his warrior clan. Now, he's the only one who can stop a tyrant. As General Theron tightens his grip on the kingdom, Kael must transform from broken exile into a fearless leader. But proving his strength will demand everything: his blood, his allies, and his soul. In a war for the kingdom's future, the weakest link may be the strongest blade.