We Who Will Die: An Epic Romantasy of Forbidden Love, Deadly Secrets, and Vampires in a High-Stakes Arena, Discover a Vividly Reimagined Ancient Rome (Empire of Blood, 1)

This stunning limited deluxe edition hardcover features stenciled edges, colored endpapers, and jacket effects—available on the first printing only. Order while supplies last!

From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

BUY THE BOOK

Published Dec 30, 2025

432 pages

Average rating: 8.86

21 RATINGS

|

Join a book club that is reading We Who Will Die: An Epic Romantasy of Forbidden Love, Deadly Secrets, and Vampires in a High-Stakes Arena, Discover a Vividly Reimagined Ancient Rome (Empire of Blood, 1)!

The Margin Notes Society

We are a group of readers from the south metro of Minneapolis, MN and welcome any new members in person or online! Feel free to message me for more in

Sunday Book Club

Bright Side's Sunday Monthly Book Club, rotating between romance subgenres!

Community Reviews

soulzone
Jan 09, 2026
10/10 stars
It has a bit of everything. Great writing and pace. If you liked DireBound this is for you (no wolves). One of the best female performances in audio. Memorable FMC.
April B.InkAudioDragon
Dec 31, 2025
10/10 stars
Absolutely fantastic!!!!!!! The characters, the plot, the tension, the morally grey of it all. Absolutely a vampire diaries meet gladiator type of book! I’m obsessed and I can’t wait for the next book!! Stacia writes so beautifully and makes such interesting and lovable characters that you fall in love with! 😍
brueckta
Dec 20, 2025
9/10 stars
Oh yes! What a great start to a new series! Definitely Team Rorrik!

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.