Lady Adriana Ewell is fit to marry a duke's son and live happily in a small town in Evyre territory under the rule of Prince Ihmes. Until a strange man cloaked in black approaches her betrothed with a leather pouch, exchanging a few hushed words with him, causing him to leave.
The strange man introduces himself to Adriana as the king's advisor and offers her a cup of tea, despite her shock and disbelief at the abandonment of her future husband.
Adriana takes the tea cup with thanks and the man continues talking, not once letting her speak or ask questions. As Adriana listens, her mind starts to grow hazy and her vision blurs. The man stares at her unfazed by her condition and carries on the conversation, while casually sipping the tea and admiring the beautiful day outside. Then Adriana blacks out.
Once she comes to, she finds out that she will be marrying the king by the winter season. A king no one has ever seen, despite his role in power over her people for the past few centuries.
The king, however, opposes his betrothal to Adriana and does everything in his power to get rid of her. Despite the sickness his soul holds, which is slowly draining the very essence of his immortality, he doesn't want anything from any woman who enter his life.
But he knows without the marriage, he will fall from reign, and without an heir, the kingdom of Rulhnor will fall into the hands of his brother, Jerreth, who wants to torment the souls of every mortal in existence.