When Skylenna, Dessin, and their friends make a vital error aboard an enemy warship, they end up in the hellacious cages of the Vexamen Prison. From Fun House nights to public executions... what happens when Patient Thirteen isn't the only grandmaster who enjoys playing the board ten steps ahead?

Meet Kaspias Valdawell, Kane's twin brother, raised by the demented leaders of Vexemen to build the perfect commander. And the ultimate warden for his special inmates.

Throughout their stay, Dessin and Skylenna fight to protect their family, understand Skylenna's new gifts in battle, and resist the menacing ways of their new captivity, slowly breaking their minds, bodies, and souls.

Will they have time to make a grand escape? Or will this cruel confinement dominate Patient Thirteen's most skilled game and make them obedient dolls in their circus?This is the fourth book in The Pawn and The Puppet series with cliffhangers. The dark themes in this installment are darker than the rest. Do not proceed if you are unsure of the content warnings below.

Content Warning: Gratuitous violence, mental health journey, grief, depression, death of a loved one, mention of suicide, gratuitous/detailed torture, physical injuries (such as burn wounds), eating disorder, hallucinations, misogyny, mention of pedophilia, romanticized mental illness, gore, child abuse, mention of animal cruelty and death, dismemberment, mention of incest (off page), female oppression, degradation, starvation, body shaming, sexually explicit scenes, explicit language, religious trauma, horror, demeaning language, power imbalance, emotional manipulation, abuse of power, sexual assault, consensual-non-consent, exploitative situations, drowning, barbaric and degrading imagery, eating disorders, negative body imagine, dubcon, sadism.