In the main trilogy of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, Lady Felicienne is one of the "point of view" characters that plays a key role in determining the outcome of the story. This prequel novella gives you some insight into how she acquired her role in service to the Emperor. Lady Felicienne started as a private investigator in the capital city of the Mahruse Empire and her knack for the game Dominion starts to get her noticed. Dominion is a board game that is played across the empire using a board with 3 tiered levels and a wide variety of pieces, making it very complex and strategic. The annual tournament in the capital is so popular that the Emperor himself meets the winner and this event is the backdrop for this novella.

It is an interesting tale that gives you a glimpse into the bigger world and the events that take place 10 years prior to the first book in the series, A Crucible of Souls. Lady Felicienne uses her skill in Dominion to win enough money to fund her lifestyle as a investigator, which sometimes doesn't provide steady income, and these two worlds will overlap when her most recent case turns out to be far more dangerous than she initially anticipated. Dangerous not only because of the criminals that she is investigating but also because this case has put her in the sights of the Emperor's secret intelligence agency. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Lady Felicienne will need to decide which side is worse and find a way to come out alive as these two opposing forces have her trapped in the middle.

I read this novella prior to the series itself and for me it was ok but not great. I think it is better read after experiencing the main series when you already know Lady Felicienne, which then makes this insight into her origin a little bit more special, and that is what I would recommend. The audiobook is narrated by Oliver Wyman, who narrates the main trilogy as well, and he does an excellent job on all of it.