At first, Boraqchin could not understand why Ogedei had chosen her to be his primary empress. After all, she was old and plain; she assumed he merely prioritized her being the eldest. But Ogedei truly felt a kinship with Boraqchin. He felt as though she was the only one who could understand his vision — a vision in which the Mongol Empire would become a destination for merchants and scholars from all around the world. From then on, Boraqchin would plot and scheme to bring down anyone who would serve as an impediment to Ogedei’s grand ambitions. But was it really that simple? Continue reading →

Sitara nearly surrenders to the empress’s masterful machinations. Can she steel her resolve? Continue reading →

We don’t immediately get to see what Boraqchin discussed with Toregene. Instead, we dive headfirst into the war between the Mongols and the Jin Dynasty. Continue reading →

Sitara is roped into cataloguing the results of the Mongols’ pillaging. After all, they’re warriors (and butchers), so most of them can’t read or write. Hell, maybe all of them. Basically, they need people like Sitara to help them keep an extensive record of what they’ve stolen. In the process, Sitara stumbles upon a book on alchemy — a book that might contain a magical cure-all. Continue reading →