Publisher's Synopsis
NOT ALL FAIRY TALES END HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
A sweeping Cinderella-inspired fantasy romance by the Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, perfect for fans of Renée Ahdieh, Tahereh Mafi, and Stephanie Garber.
Yining stopped believing in dreams the day her beloved uncle died. Driven to survive, she's become a good thief and an even better liar. But when she acquires an enchanted ring that could yield the key to a better life, it is stolen by her grasping step-aunt, and Yining must venture into the imperial heart of the Iron Mountains to seize it back.
Amid the grandeur of the palace, Yining catches the eye of the ruthless and ambitious Prince Zixin, who tempts her with a world she's never imagined. But nothing is as it seems as she's soon trapped in a tangle of power, treachery, and greed - her only ally a cunning advisor from a rival court who keeps dangerous secrets of his own.
Desperate to secure her freedom, Yining embarks on a perilous quest where she must choose who to trust, unravel the mystery of her past, and fight for a future that both frightens and calls to her.
