The first in a sweeping and action-packed debut fantasy duology loosely inspired by the early climbers of Mt. Everestperfect for fans of Cindy Pon and Alison Goodman. Kamzin has always dreamed of becoming one of the Emperors royal explorers, the elite climbers tasked with mapping the wintry, mountainous Empire and spying on its enemies. She knows she could be the best in the world, if only someone would give her a chance.But everything changes when the mysterious and eccentric River Shara, the greatest explorer ever known, arrives in her village and demands to hire Kamzinnot her older sister Lusha, as everyone had expectedfor his next expedition.This is Kamzins chance to prove herselfeven though Rivers mission to retrieve a rare talisman for the emperor means climbing Raksha, the tallest and deadliest mountain in the Aryas. Then Lusha sets off on her own mission to Raksha with a rival explorer who is determined to best River, and Kamzin must decide whats most important to her: protecting her sister from the countless perils of the climb or beating her to the summit. The challenges of climbing Raksha are unlike anything Kamzin expectedor prepared forwith avalanches, ice chasms, ghosts, and even worse at every turn. And as dark secrets are revealed, Kamzin must unravel the truth of their mission and of her companionswhile surviving the deadliest climb she has ever faced.