In the vast and treacherous corridors of the Imperial Palace, where power is a fragile illusion and betrayal lurks in every shadow, a young woman finds herself caught in a political web she never wished to enter. Betrothed to the reigning Emperor, she is thrust into the heart of a realm on the brink of collapse, where corruption runs deep within the Genetic Dynasty.

Cleon XVII, also know as Brother Day, has vowed to change the course of the Empire’s decline by rejecting the artificial clones of his lineage and producing natural heirs with his chosen bride. But as the Emperor’s attempt to reform his crumbling dynasty reaches its peak, an assassination attempt shatters the illusion of security in the heart of the Imperial Palace. Wounded and poisoned by a nanotoxin, Cleon XVII survives only with the help of his loyal android, Demerzel, who risks everything to save him. Yet the attempt on his life exposes a far deeper conspiracy—one that threatens not just the Emperor, but the very foundation of the Empire itself.

As Cleon XVII recovers, the stakes grow ever higher. His suspicions rise, and in a ruthless move, he demands an audit of his heir—Cleon XVIII —to ensure no one in his inner circle is complicit in the assassination plot. In the midst of this chaos, his prospective bride-to-be is brought before him, a symbol of hope for the future, yet also a reminder of the complex web that binds them all. Cleon XVII, scarred by his near-death experience, offers her a gift—a brass depiction of Trantor—as a gesture of goodwill, though his trauma and distrust make intimacy a distant thought.

For the young woman, the path ahead is fraught with peril. She is caught between her duty to the Empire and her growing fear of the dark forces surrounding her betrothal. Will she become a tool in Cleon XVIII’s rise to power, or will she find herself swept up in the deadly politics of the Imperial court, where even the closest allies may be enemies?