Iron Tears — Jolene D. Campbell

It's New Year's Day, Ake and Fuu are enjoying the holiday with their children and close family friends when suddenly the threat of war comes to their doorstep. Tragedy strikes their family, turning their lives completely upside down. Ake struggles to protect her family and the sovereignty of the emperor while trying to understand a new development with her Iron Blood powers. Their fight for survival takes them all the way to Kyoto and to the sacred mountain of the god of fire. While there, she not only learns more about her connection to the god of fire, but also the true identity of her husband. After twenty years of peace can Ake hold it together while she watches her world turn to ash? Can she cope with the discovery that one of her children might have inherited her Iron Blood abilities?