A dark, captivating 12+/YA tale of deception and survival, set in the same faery world as Nettle.
Long ago, kings and queens of the faery realms exchanged talismans with one another to maintain stability in their world. The Stag King gave up a shard of antler, the Owl King a feather, the Minnow Queen a shimmering, silver scale. But the Owl King has grown restless, and his kingdom has become dangerous as he feeds off the magic of others. Always he hunts for a new bride to sustain him.
When devoted sisters, Ilsette and Lyla, are summoned to court, the Owl King's eye soon falls on the beautiful Lyla. Determined to save her sister from a terrible fate, Ilsette sets out on a quest to find the prized feather and change the balance of power.
Lyla bewitches the king with her stories, but time is running out. Meanwhile, Ilsette's search leads her to a realm with two moons and scarlet stars. Here she must trick King Locryn into revealing the feather's secret whereabouts, so that she can steal it. She's befriended by a strange magpie and two shadow faeries, but all the while, she faces an impossible truth - to save her sister, she must destroy peace among the realms.