Tyler is a teenager with the most terrifying ability imaginable-the power to sense people's emotions and manipulate them. Trained under a ruthless emperor who seeks to hollow out human souls and seize control of the world, Tyler longs for escape. But even if he finds freedom, he must keep his talent a secret, for if anyone discovers what he can do, he'll never be safe.Peter has lost everything-his home, his family, and his people-all of them slaughtered by the same emperor who has enslaved Tyler. Now, with only his middle son left, he'll do whatever it takes to keep him hidden, even if it means trusting people he fears.Kit has fought for everything he has, but his unpredictable ability to travel back and forth through time threatens to unravel it all. When a vision reveals a prophecy of the emperor's downfall, Kit becomes a target. If the emperor finds him, he won't just stop the prophecy; he'll end Kit's future for good.Nyla is bearing the emperor's heir. Forced to marry him but unwilling to allow her husband to turn her unborn son into a monster, she flees, forced to rely on the emperor's enemies to keep her hidden.Four lives, four dangerous secrets, and a ruthless ruler who will do anything to retain his hold on power. Can they outrun the empire before it claims them too?