Embers of the Court

"Tonight, everything changes."

Myria Hawthorne makes her noble debut during the Summer Courtship, a contest for the prince to select his bride, the future Queen of Avalion. While inexperienced with the duplicitous world of the royal court, she manages to hold her own against the other ladies contending for the same prize. All seems to bode well for Myria as the commoner-turned-noble lady; the prince is utterly besotted with her, so much so that everyone is certain of his choice, scheduled to be announced at the Eventide Ball.

But as the anticipated midnight hour draws near, everything changes. While Myria desperately seeks a way out of the Summer Courtship to be with the one her heart truly desires, a startling new revelation comes to light. The truth of her mother's past is unveiled in the penultimate moment, and with no alternative, Myria finds herself forced in an engagement with a different man altogether. Aryn Stirling, the villainous noble who has attacked her more than once over the summer. With the threat of civil war looming and the safety of her missing grandmother in question, Myria has no choice but to accept the miserable arrangement.

All hope is not yet lost. In the face of these dire circumstances, Myria is granted a new magic teacher, Duchess Stirling. Her future mother-in-law and the ominous woman she's seen in her visions. The duchess is determined to bring Myria to her full potential as a sorceress, to fulfill her destiny. Meanwhile, Myria is appointed a certain bodyguard for her protection as she journeys to the mysterious Stirling lands. But his presence might prove more risky than rewarding, especially when Duchess Stirling enjoys pushing Myria past her limits for her own schemes.

In order to protect the ones she loves and escape the impending wedding, Myria needs to dive deep into her own past and uncover the full truth about what happened to her mother.