Lan is lucky. As the daughter of a wealthy nobleman, she has no say in who she will marry, but she actually knows Tam from when they were children, and he often stands below her window at night reciting love poetry. She is looking forward to her marriage until the truth is revealed. Bao, an orphan and a former servant, was paid to take Tam's place and continue wooing her by Tam's parents. Lan is humiliated and heartbroken. She thought she knew the path her life would take, but now everything is in upheaval.
Bao does feel guilty for tricking Lan, but the truth is, he is actually in love with Lan. He also played with Tam and Lan when they were children, and Lan's grandmother always encouraged her to treat him as a friend instead of a servant. When the truth is revealed, Lan's harsh words break his heart. He had hoped she would see beyond his station in life to understand the hard work he has put into training as a doctor and the love in his heart.
In despair, he takes his boat down the river hoping the river witch will guide him to the truth about his family. Instead, she curses him so his soul is bound to the wooden flute he carries.
Lan is relieved to see Bao again because she regrets her harsh words, and they soon discover her presence is the only thing that will mitigate the curse. In a flash, she decides to join Bao on his quest to find his real family. Together they will journey through war zones and learn the truth about blood magic and the powerful hold it has on the people and on Bao through the curse.
As they journey, Lan's heart softens toward Bao and she begins to realize he is a good man, but all this time also binds her closer to the curse, and they could both be lost if they don't find a way to break it.
This is technically the third book in Julie C. Dao's Rise of the Empress series, but it definitely reads like a stand-alone. I didn't even realize it was part of a series until after I had read it. This book has a slower pace even though most of the action takes place during a war. I really appreciated the gentle characters who were not afraid to express their true emotions. The Vietnamese setting is also a bit unusual and welcome. I have a large population of students with Vietnamese ancestry who will be excited to see this addition to the fantasy collection. Recommended for fantasy fans who like a story with a gentler more emotional story.
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