When the iron gate to the human world shuts behind her, Emma Hall is thrust into Elarion-a treacherous fae realm where the roads make no sound and ordinary things grow teeth when neglected. Abducted after resisting royal influence during a public border dispute, Emma possesses a dangerous, undeniable gift: she can see emotions as vivid, shifting colors and heavy pressures in the air. Now, as she travels deeper into this perilous new world under the watchful eyes of inhuman royal guards, her survival depends on strict obedience to a terrifying etiquette. Guided by the careful human diplomat David Brown, Emma must navigate a land where compliments are expensive, flowers respond to deceit, and politeness is far more than a harmless costume. In Elarion, her rare sensitivity makes her a captive-but it might also be her only weapon.