Growing up on Forge's streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin.And when that's not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs. But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she's not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he is persistent---- and darkly attractive----and Kyra can't quite resist his pull. Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a misson. After his best friend is brutally murdered by the Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with remarkable ease. When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival----and vengeance----might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra's past that threatens to reshape both their lives.