Cassia, Valendia’s once-in-a-century oracle, is born with prophetic speech. She foresees the empire’s ruin: Emperor Alexander will die heirless and lose his realm. To evade her gift’s backlash and safeguard her family and the empire, she swears a ten-year Vow of Silence on her wedding and coming-of-age day. Their childhood love fades. As the empire crumbles and Alexander endures court humiliation, he vents his rage on mute Cassia. Tricked by his mistress Selina, he cuts off her right hand, blinds her with poison to extort a blessing, and massacres her Howard clan. Broken by despair, Cassia breaks her vow, unleashing an oracular curse to burn the empire down, fulfilling her decade-long silent vengeance.
