When the Bridle taught children of loyalty, they spoke first of the Triens. For countless centuries, the bloodline fought and died at the behest of the secretive empire. Unwavering loyalty brought the Emperor’s favor and riches beyond the imagining of the lower castes. Darcy would know. For seventeen years, she’d reaped the benefits of her family’s legacy.

By and large, ‘unwavering loyalty’ wasn’t particularly difficult. Darcy mostly just had to protect her assigned sniper and secret lover, Stasia, which aligned rather neatly with her own wishes.

Upon receiving an unusual assignment, Darcy and Stasia find themselves in the ruins of Chicago – a molten memorial to the dangers of freedom. Having never gone undercover, stolen experimental medication, or supervised small children, Darcy is understandably concerned by this development. As she dodges curses, tantrums, and jetpack-toting guardians, Darcy must decide just how far she is willing to go for the Bridle.

Life was so much simpler before the frog eater appeared.

For fans of science fiction and fantasy, this LGBT thriller will keep you turning pages long after you should’ve gone to bed. Rainey mixes the stark brutalism of a world dominated by magic with the hilarious absurdity of human error. Decapitation by charcuterie board, acidic snot bubbles, and spy vs spy shenanigans abound in this fantasy thriller book.

Caution: Not for the squeamish. No frogs, lizards, or small rodents were harmed during the making of this novel, unless you count those that were eaten.