Burning Kingdoms

Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne begins the powerful Burning Kingdoms trilogy, in which two women-a long-imprisoned princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic-come together to rewrite the fate of an empire. Exiled by her despotic brother when he claimed their father's kingdom, Malini spends her days trapped in the Hirana: an ancient, cliffside temple that was once the source of the magical deathless waters, but is now little more than a decaying ruin. A servant in the regent's household, Priya makes the treacherous climb to the Hirana every night to clean Malini's chambers. She is happy to play the role of a drudge so long as it keeps anyone from discovering her ties to the temple and the dark secret of her past. But when Malini bears witness to Priya's true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to steal a throne. The other is a powerful priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will set an empire ablaze.

The prophecy of the nameless god-the words that declared Malini the rightful empress of Parijatdvipa-has proven a blessing and curse. She is determined to claim the throne that fate offered her. But even with the strength of the rage in her heart and the army of loyal men by her side, deposing her brother is going to be a brutal and bloody fight. The power of the deathless waters flows through Priya's blood. Thrice born priestess, Elder of Ahiranya, Priya's dream is to see her country rid of the rot that plagues it: both Parijatdvipa's poisonous rule, and the blooming sickness that is slowly spreading through all living things. But she doesn't yet understand the truth of the magic she carries. Their chosen paths once pulled them apart. But Malini and Priya's souls remain as entwined as their destinies. And they soon realize that coming together is the only way to save their kingdom from those who would rather see it burn-even if it will cost them. For more from Tasha Suri, check out: The Burning Kingdoms The Jasmine Throne The Oleander Sword The Books of Ambha Empire of Sand Realm of Ash.