By accident, she gave them all the right answers. And now, Rose has a name, newly given. She has a home, shared with a score of children: orphans, runaways, and outcasts. She has brothers and sisters, a meal every day, and a brand new life - if she wants it.

The last thing Kayo needs is someone like Rose: a hot-tempered, half-feral killer who will happily steal the orphans blind. But with his brother gone, Kayo has no choice but to take his place as the infamous rogue, the Black Death - and Rose may be the key to his success.

The orphans have one goal: to survive. But as the king of Alronelin becomes more and more desperate to find the missing heir to the throne, as their dying city grows more and more deadly, Rose and the orphans become caught in a tangled web of politics, intrigue, and treachery that none of them can escape alone.

The people are waiting.