Loyalties fracture. A blood feud burns. And the fate of the realm hangs in the balance. As the kingdom teeters on the brink of war, the Blackwater rule is all but destroyed, and two mighty houses, each led by lords unwilling to yield, head for a clash that will ultimately decide the fate of the realm, leaving each house forever changed. And in the shadows of power, a young handmaiden guards a dangerous secret, a scorned heir fights desperately for approval, and a vilified royal companion must protect a princess caught in the chaos of a shattered kingdom. Lines are being drawn. Loyalties will be tested. And not all will live to see the outcome.
