The Amber Empire is ruled by three brothers—Garth the eldest has a brilliant mind for military strategy and seeing the bigger picture for the future of the Empire, Caleb the youngest is a sorcerer, and Roscoe the one who slows down and takes the time to love Harriet, make her his queen, and have a daughter, the princess Evaine.

When King Roscoe leaves to fight in a war against the kingdom of Malachite, he finds love with the gentle Malachite woman, Zoe. When Zoe becomes pregnant with Roscoe’s illegitimate child, he sends her back to the Amber Kingdom with a protection letter.

When King Roscoe and his two brothers never return from the war, Queen Harriet seizes absolute power, paints Zoe wrongfully as a scapegoat, and cruelly puts her to death, leaving her daughter Anook a child orphan as well as an illegitimate princess.

Despite the horrible loss, Anook still has people who care for her, like Zoe’s dearest friend Opal and the royal librarian Jaques.

After his parents die when a river bridge collapses, Iver, a gifted flutist, has to take care of his little sister Lisette. They too find good people to care for them in Sabine, Donovan, and Theo, who run Green House Sanctury, a place of safety and rest when times become hard.

Under Queen Harriet’s rule, times only become harder for the people as she finds ways of making the crown richer for herself and her daughter Princess Evaine.

Years later, at the crossroads, Anook is given a fae gift for a good deed, while Evaine is given a fairy curse. Now both half sisters will each use their gifts to shape the destiny of the Amber Empire as they both learn there are snakes in the grass and diamonds in the rough. It’s one’s actions that make them into one or the other through the choices they make.