This conclusion to the fast-paced City of Diamond and Steel duology finds Aina after she has risen through the ranks of the criminal capital of Kosín and taken over the business empire of her former boss, Kohl. The catch: by gaining control of his organization of assassins, Aina must become as bloodthirsty as he if she wants to stay in control. As the plot escalates and Aina seeks to exact revenge on Kohl, hunter and prey are forced to team up to defeat a greater evil. Flores' world building is as nuanced and expansive as it is shadowy; her dialogue is realistic and speedy, making the world truly feel lived in. Thanks to shifting allegiances, kindling romance, attempts at poisoning, and questionable magic, readers will relish exploring Kosín as Aina journeys to gain and maintain power in the face of blatant corruption, all the way up to the double-edged ending. Despite the tenuous alliances, this is a battle royal, where the fight isn't over until only one person is left standing.

An assassin's rise to power brings new responsibilities. Flores' second installment in the City of Steel and Diamond series picks up a month after Aina Solís fails to complete an assassination contract but discovers a plot by Gen. Alsane Bautix to kill a member of a foreign royal family who was visiting the country. Now that she and Tannis, another assassin, control their crime tradehouse, they must protect and train new assassins, spies, and thieves. But maintaining control is proving difficult, as Kohl, who was once her boss, along with other tradehouses, has been sowing chaos in their neighborhood in order to undermine her power. To add to her problems, Aina has also developed feelings for fellow assassin and friend Teo but still questions her relationship with Kohl. Although their relationship was clearly abusive and dysfunctional, her attraction to him and desire for his approval linger and make Aina question whether or not she can trust him as she attempts to defeat Bautix, who wants to gain control of the country's ruling Sentinel, and continue subduing the Inosen, the keepers of blood magic. Flores' sequel continues to weave magic and shocking fight scenes into a fast-paced narrative. It further develops the secondary characters while providing more romance, including a lesbian relationship. A smattering of Spanish, presented as a language dubbed Milano, is also included in this darker sequel. A gripping, action-packed sequel. (Fantasy. 12--18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.