Empress Celene of Orlais rose to the throne of the most powerful nation in Thedas through wisdom, intelligence, and ruthless manipulation. Now, the empire that she led to the age of enlightenment is threatened from within by an inevitable war between templars and magicians, and a rebellion is brewing among the oppressed elves. To save Orlais, Celine must retain the throne by any means necessary. Fighting with the unrivaled skill of the Orlesian Chevaliers, Grand Duke Gaspard won countless battles for the empire and the empress. But did he really fight in vain? As the Circle weakens and chaos grows, Gaspard begins to doubt that Selin's diplomatic approach to the problem of mages and elf uprisings can keep the empire safe. Perhaps it is time for a new leader, one who lives by the tenets of the Chevalier Code and can make Orlais strong again. Briala has served as Selin's lady-in-waiting since they were both children, quietly using her position to improve the lives of elves throughout Orlais. She is Selene's confidante, spymaster, and lover, but when politics forces the Empress to choose between the rights of Briala's people and the throne of Orlais, Briala in turn must decide where her true allegiance lies. Alliances are forged and promises are broken as Selina and Gaspard battle for the throne of Orlais. But, ultimately, those elves who hide in the forests or starve in the elfinages can determine the fate of the empire of masks. Contributors to the translation: Carver, Fra Genitivi, NoMadKa, lepshin93, Paper Tigers, Reienis, Guiltytwo, Hikari, Snowgist, Unstabled, Shen McTeer. Happy reading!