Drawing from decades of work, travel, and research in Russia, the author recreates the tragic, perennially fascinating story of the final days of Nicholas and Alexandra as seen through the fictional eyes of the Romanovs' young kitchen boy, Leonka. Now an ancient Russian immigrant, Leonka claims to be the last living witness to the Romanovs' brutal murders and sets down the dark secrets of his past with the imperial family.

Mirage has returned to Coeur d'Or, triumphant in battle, and ready to claim her rightful place as the Amber Empress, and resume her tentative romance with Sunder; but the city's people are afraid and not welcoming, somebody is trying to assassinate her, the previous empress, Severine, is in a coma and not as dead as Mirage would wish, and a distant cousin Gavin d'Ars has turned up with a rival claim to the throne--and in the turmoil all her alliances...

"Koro Sensei's lessons in verbal defense are put to the test when Karma must use his brains instead of his brawn to rescue a classmate. Then things finally begin to go smoothly for the students of 3-E. Everyone receives some good news about their futures, and Nagisa settles on a career goal. But the peace is broken when the world's nations miraculously manage to coordinate their efforts long enough to launch a plan to assassinate Koro Sensei--with...