From the publisher: "A nobleman's daughter with magic in her blood. An empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods. A captivating, Mughal India-inspired debut fantasy. The Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic she has inherited. When Mehr's power comes to the attention of the Emperor's most feared mystics, she must use every ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist their cruel agenda. Should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance."

A captive princess and a maid with forbidden magic come together in this sapphic Indian-inspired historical fantasy. Princess Malini is kept imprisoned in the Hirana temple by her dictator brother. According to their religion, women can only become pure and holy by being set ablaze on pyres but Malini refuses to burn. Instead, she’s going to orchestrate a coup. Priya is soon drawn into the plot and their destinies become entangled. They can’t trust each other but they need each other if they’re going to survive. MMD team member Leigh mentioned this in WSIRN episode 291: The best books of summer (so far) as one of her favorites.