The Emperor is dying, and the palace is a powder keg of secrets and betrayal.
Cassian Vale, the Shadow Wardens' finest agent, enters under a dangerous disguise. Charming, cunning, and impossibly handsome, he's far from an ordinary servant.
Assigned to the disgraced Lady Serenya, Cassian expects obedience-but the first night changes everything. She corners him on a rooftop, sees through his disguise, and sparks a deadly game of secrets, lies, and temptation.
Expelled from the palace, Cassian navigates streets filled with danger, mysterious allies, and unexpected encounters-a cynical healer, a long-lost family member, and a fiery general's daughter who refuses to be fooled.
Poisoned daggers, false identities, hidden agendas... and a question that haunts him: Is he a loyal agent, a pawn in the Crown Prince's schemes, or simply himself?
A story of disguise, desire, and the fight to claim one's true self.
"Are you really a eunuch, Cassian?"
"Great. Just when my head couldn't hurt more, it does."
"If they dare take you from me, I will burn every crown, every kingdom, until nothing remains but what is mine."
.
.
.
.
.
.
Seraphine Valemont has lived her life in gilded cages - trained to obey, to marry, to be the perfect heir. Her destiny is a royal marriage to Prince Alaric of Aerden, a union meant to secure peace, not love. Every choice is made for her, every word measured, every desire forbidden.
Then comes Sir Cassian Dareth, her personal knight - a man of shadows and steel, whose loyalty is absolute, and whose presence awakens a dangerous fire within her. Forbidden, intoxicating, and relentless, their connection grows in stolen moments behind palace walls, where a single glance could spell ruin.
The prince is polished, commanding, and ready to claim what he believes is rightfully his. But no crown, no command, no army can stand against the storm Cassian has vowed to unleash for her.
Bound by duty, torn by desire, and facing a world that will never forgive them, Seraphine must decide whether to follow the path laid out for her... or risk everything for a love that could destroy them both.