Soleil, the scion of the royal family of the Pan-Galactic Imperium, is contacted by hidden enemies, revealing unpleasant information about her own dynasty. She is left facing this at home to deconstruct her illusions alone. The two relatively free agents Karma Ilacqua & Derringer, and their associates, get embroiled in the crossfire of private scientific subterfuge, whose stakes appear to be higher than they suspected, and they catch the attention of an authority that needs them. Unexplainable disasters of great magnitude begin to shake the foundations of the Imperium, affecting a rare material used for intergalactic travel and crippling the Aquari Sendsingers, people of special ability who enable those connections. The Starweavers, a group of warm-hearted ship pilots, make rescues from disaster while their underworld investigations also get them into trouble. Sorting out the information from her contact transmission, the Princess determines how to find the ones who sought her out, and disappears on a solo mission. Soon after, her mother, the Queen Ascendant Charlotte, falls to an unexpected attack from what appeared to be a scientific anomaly. This leaves the aged Queen Celeste and King Ascendant Vario, along with the three younger royal siblings, to assess matters as the Imperium’s reckoning comes to call.

(as appearing in the upcoming 11/11/18 hardcover release of Bones of Starlight 2: Abyss Surrounding)

>> Table of Contents for Book 1: Fire Within