In a convent, the Holy Saints train young girls to become murderers. Some children display old blood, giving them rare talents that can be forged into deadly or mystical abilities. But even the masters of sword and shadow could not fully appreciate what they had gained when Nona Gray was brought into their halls. A blood-stained nine-year-old child, falsely accused of murder but guilty of far worse crimes, Nona was snatched from the noose. It takes ten years to teach the Red Sister all the intricacies of the blade and fist, but under the supervision of Abbess Glass, you can learn more than just the art of death. In her classroom, Nona finds a new family and new enemies. Despite the safety and isolation of the monastery, Nona's secret and her violent past catch up with her, dragging with her the tangled politics of a crumbling empire. Her arrival reignites old feuds and vicious struggles within the church, and even attracts the attention of the emperor himself. Under the fading sun, Nona Gray must tame her inner demons before unleashing them on those who stand in her way.