The only daughter of a prominent Samurai, Mariko has always known that being a woman means she's not in control of her fate. Never mind her cunning or her skills as an accomplished alchemist, Mariko was raised for one purpose only: to marry.
At just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose. But the journey is cut short when her convoy is ambushed by the Black Clan - a group of bandits hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.
The lone survivor of the attack, Mariko swears revenge on those who want her dead: she infiltrates the Black Clan disguised as a peasant boy and befriends their leader. The clan warms to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity - but as she gets closer to her enemies, Mariko uncovers a dark history of secrets that will force her to question everything she's ever known.