"Based on a true story, this transporting historical fiction debut depicts the fascinating lives of two sisters--princesses--in the Romanov court who practiced black magic, befriended the Tsarina, and invited Rasputin into their lives--forever changing the course of Russian history" -- Daughters of the impoverished King of Montenegro, Militza and Stana travel to St. Petersburg to seek marriages with Russian nobility who will help secure the future of their native country. Shunned for their provincial ways and for dabbling in the occult, the sisters make their mark by falling in with the lonely, depressed Tsarina Alexandra. Desperate for the birth of a son and heir, the Tsarina places her faith in the sisters' expertise with black magic. As Militza and Stana hold séances, rituals and spells, they become closer to the Tsarina and the royal family. But when the sisters invoke a spiritual shaman, who goes by the name of Rasputin, they seal their own fates-- and that of Russia itself. -- Back cover. Adapted from back cover