Tamara Mikheeva's new story from the Seven Spindles series tells of another girl who has been gifted with a special power—to destroy or preserve worlds. Every year, the city of Sueke holds a strange ceremony. The most beautiful girl becomes the king's power, then disappears forever. The city's inhabitants uncomplainingly part with their friends, sisters, and daughters, never asking questions. Only the brave, headstrong Chiara Dronvakhlu, a jeweler's apprentice, is plagued by doubts. Who needs this grand, mysterious ritual? What happens to those chosen by the king? And what remains when everything is taken away? How can you live in a world where your word means nothing? Who can you turn to if everyone you loved has been taken from you? Can you resist if you do not belong to yourself? Chiara is destined to discover the terrible secret behind the city's prosperity, find impossible allies, and do something awful. She will have to become a power—but whose?
