Book excerpt: Lafier and Jint have now proven themselves in the most unthinkable of situations, earning honor and recognition that will serve them well--and perhaps even haunt them. Lafier takes command of a state-of-the-art raid ship as her little brother Duhier, who idolizes her, officially enlists with the Star Forces. But more than personal conflicts are brewing under the surface... The galactic war takes a strange turn when the thus-far neutral Hania Federation reaches out to the Abh with an unexpected offer of support. Not everything is as it seems, however. Lafier and Jint return to the imperial capital to find it under attack by the Three Nations Alliance, forcing the intrepid duo and all of the Abh to sacrifice everything and abandon Lahkfacar. The Empress herself tries to buy them time to evacuate the most precious artifacts of their civilization as the city falls and the Empire fractures. A long decade later, Lafier--now the Crown Princess and a fleet commander--helms an operation to reunite the shattered state and regain part of what was lost. When all adversity stands in her way, will she be able to go above and beyond to see the mission through?