Aeon is a simulacra, a creation of flesh, clockwork and magic designed to protect their original humans from the deadly attacks of curse-workers. She is an identical copy of her original, Mara, eighth princess of the Tamyin Empire, except for the brands and seals that mark her as artificial. When Mara dies of natural causes, Aeon expects to be killed. After a botched attempt to euthanise her, she is taken in...