Smoke in the Sun, by Renee Ahdieh

After Okami is captured in the Jukai forest, Mariko has no choice--to rescue him, she must return to Inako and face the dangers that have been waiting for her in the Heian Castle.

She tricks her brother, Kenshin, and betrothed, Raiden, into thinking she was being held by the Black Clan against her will, playing the part of the dutiful bride-to-be to infiltrate the emperor's ranks and uncover the truth behind the betrayal that almost left her dead.

With the wedding plans already underway, Mariko pretends to be consumed with her upcoming nuptials, all the while using her royal standing to peel back the layers of lies and deception surrounding the imperial court. But each secret she unfurls gives way to the next, ensnaring Mariko and Okami in a political scheme that threatens their honor, their love and the very safety of the empire.

 

“If the first book in this duology (Flame in the Mist, 2017) was a slow burn, this conclusion is all action...Mariko is a heroine worth following to the thrilling conclusion.”—Booklist

“With admirable brio, Ahdieh serves up intrigues and counterintrigues, battles and betrayals, … interludes of heated romance…Nuanced female characters drive the action.” —Kirkus Reviews


“A well-written, lavish conclusion to the dreamlike world created in Flame in the Mist.”—School Library Journal