"A Shadow in the Ember," written by Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the first book in the Flesh and Fire series, set in the same universe as the Blood and Ash series. The story follows Seraphena Mierel, a maiden enshrouded in the mysteries of the Primals and destined by ancient prophecy. Selected before her birth, Sera is meant to fulfill a desperate pact made by her ancestor to save his people by becoming the consort to the Primal of Death. Yet, Sera's true calling is far darker—she is not just a protected Maiden but an assassin tasked with making the Primal of Death fall in love with her, becoming his weakness, and ultimately, ending his life to save her kingdom from the slow destruction by the Rot. Throughout her journey, Sera grapples with her multiplicity of roles—chosen, consort, assassin, weapon—and the intense feelings ignited by the Primal of Death, challenging everything she has been conditioned to believe.