Best friends Donají and Itzcacalotl stumble into dangerous political intrigue in this follow-up to the young adult epic Codex Black: A Fire Among Clouds. In 15th-century Mesoamerica, Donají and Itzcacalotl travel to the Oracle of Lyobaa in the hopes of learning the secret behind Donají's missing father. But instead of receiving information, they find themselves roped into a quest to stop the assassination of the great Emperor Ahuizotl.
This is easier said than done when faced with a mysterious group of black-clad killers who want nothing more than to send the known world tumbling into chaos. Along the way, the two will have to navigate new friends, old enemies, and even corn people as they try to save the emperor… before it's too late.
A blend of historical adventure, mythic stakes, and heartfelt friendship, this tale tests loyalty, courage, and the cost of interfering with power that moves in the shadows. Donají and Itzcacalotl must learn who to trust — and what they are truly willing to sacrifice to keep the empire standing.
This is easier said than done when faced with a mysterious group of black-clad killers who want nothing more than to send the known world tumbling into chaos. Along the way, the two will have to navigate new friends, old enemies, and even corn people as they try to save the emperor… before it's too late.
A blend of historical adventure, mythic stakes, and heartfelt friendship, this tale tests loyalty, courage, and the cost of interfering with power that moves in the shadows. Donají and Itzcacalotl must learn who to trust — and what they are truly willing to sacrifice to keep the empire standing.
