This book addresses sensitive and potentially distressing topics, including racism and slavery. Reader discretion is advised. The portrayal of these issues is intended to explore their impact and historical significance, but they may be difficult for some readers. Please proceed with caution if you are sensitive to these themes.
Chasing the dream of freedom came with a price—maybe even a vein full.In the year 1663, in the Portuguese colony that will one day
become Brazil, seventeen-year-old Soliana’s veins flow with gold. As the orphaned daughter of a forbidden love, she secretly crafts coins from her blood to build a life as the first female plantation owner of color. Her sole mission is to use her extraordinary gift to liberate her mother’s enslaved people. But in a world where
her gender and skin color make her a target, she must
navigate with caution.
But the death of the Slave Master from a neighboring farm—a death brought forth by her own hands—draws her closer to the law, she discovers that the law is in the pocket of Exu, a powerful African god intent on draining her golden blood. With her life at stake, Soliana turns to another deity, Oxóssi, for aid. Yet, Oxóssi is bound by Orixá law not to kill Exu, leaving Soliana
to confront her enemy alone.
As she grapples with this predicament, Soliana learns that her
new ally, Oxóssi, harbors secrets of his own. Now, Soliana must navigate a dangerous web of divine intrigue and betrayal to
protect her freedom and the lives of those she seeks to save.