"I almost didn't recognize you.." I let out a small gasp as he wraps his hand around the dagger strapped to my thigh. "..thief." He whispers in my ear moments before taking out the dagger and holding it up to my throat. Liraz, an 20 year old princess, is abused by her step-mother, the queen, after her biological parents die. She is fed scraps and locked in her room, hidden from the world. With no other choice than to starve, Liraz starts sneaking out at night as a thief. She steals from the markets at a nearby village for her own survival. But one night she is caught and chased by a baker from whom she stole from. The princess is able to escape and flees back to her bedroom in the castle. Weeks after, the queen hosts a masquerade ball where all in the kingdom are invited- all except the princess. She sneaks into the ball, thinking her step-mother wouldn't notice her through the mask. At the ball, the princess meets and dances with who she didn't know was the baker she stole from, leading to daggers up to necks and a promising deal. As they work together, the enemies eventually turn to lovers. Together, the lovers find out the power that the princess holds within her and why she was kept hidden from the world. TW: THIS BOOK MAY INCLUDE SENSITIVE TOPICS FOR SOME READERS. **CURRENTLY PAUSED FOR EDITING**