Book excerpt: Sekiei and Hakurei have successfully fended off Gen’s assault on Keiyou, but the situation remains dire for the Ei Empire. The country’s former ally Seitou has joined the enemy, and now the western border stands open and hostile. With tensions continuing to rise and infighting commonplace within the capital’s courts, invading Seitou—however inadvisable—has become inevitable. A strategist to devise tactics and navigate the political waters is sorely needed, so when the self-professed ascendant who helped Meirin unearth the Heavenly Swords arrives in Keiyou, the answer has practically fallen into Sekiei’s lap...or so it would seem, were she not absolutely against participating in war. With the odds stacked against them and the armies from Gen and Seitou looming, Sekiei knows that Ei’s and the Chou family’s soldiers will need it all—Ruri’s wisdom, Hakurei’s leadership, and Meirin’s connections, along with his own strength and skill—if any of them are to survive the upcoming battle.