Six years ago, a fierce rivalry between the Empress and Consorts led to the death of many innocent embroiderers. Kiersten, the younger sister of one such embroiderer, enters the palace as a lowly maid, determined to avenge her mother and break the cruel rules of the palace. Using her intelligence and cunning, she gains favor with the Consort, eliminates the villainous maid who harmed her mother, and sets the stage for a complex revenge plot.