A dark and propulsive new epic fantasy from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Fallen Gods trilogy. An intricate tale of warring kingdoms, female rage and a wild magic that refuses to be tamed. ''Death is come to take you home, death of blood and thorn and bone...'' Tilde has always heard the whispers of the kithwood, the voices of her ancestors speaking through the mysterious forest of her homeland. But now both the kithwood and her kingdom are in danger. For Tilde is the only surviving heir of a conquered land. To unite the people and finally stop the bloodshed, she marries the aging warlord, King Liran. Her duty is to bind their nations and bear him a son. But the swan king''s court is dangerous. Tilde is a threat to the claim of Liran''s older sons, who will do whatever it takes to remove her, to the princess Elise who has only ever known loyalty to her family, and to the priests who own them all. Yet none of them know that Tilde is a snake in their midst, with allies on her side and dark, forbidden power of her own. She wants her kingdom back, and she will sacrifice everything to claim it. For the queen to rise, the swans must fall.

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HANNAH KANER is the author of Godkiller, Sunbringer and Faithbreaker, all three #1 Sunday Times Bestsellers.

She has been shortlisted for the Hugos, Locus, British Book Awards and British Fantasy Awards, as well as Longlisted for the Glass Bell award. Her work has been translated into 15 languages.

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'One of my favourite epics of all time' - SAMANTHA SHANNON

'Breathtaking' - SAARA EL-ARIFI

'An addictive, cunning political fantasy' - SHANNON CHAKRABORTY

'Captivating' - ANTONIA HODGSON

'Vicious, brutal, intricate' - TASHA SURI "Death is come to take you home, death of blood and thorn and bone..." Tilde has always heard the whispers of the kithwood, the voices of her ancestors speaking through the mysterious forest of her homeland.

But now both the kithwood and her kingdom are in danger.

For Tilde is the only surviving heir of a conquered land. To unite the people and finally stop the bloodshed, she marries the ageing warlord, King Liran. Her duty is to bind their nations and bear him a son.

But the swan king's court is dangerous. Tilde is a threat to the claim of Liran's older sons, who will do whatever it takes to remove her, to the princess Elise who has only ever known loyalty to her family, and to the priests who own them all.

Yet none of them know that Tilde is a snake in their midst, with allies on her side and dark, forbidden power of her own. She wants her kingdom back, and she will sacrifice everything to claim it.

For the queen to rise, the swans must fall.

A dark and propulsive tale of warring kingdoms, female rage and a wild magic that refuses to be tamed, by the No.1 Sunday Timesbestselling author of the Fallen Gods trilogy.