The question burning in the mind of every inhabitant of Avonland might have just been answered. The border has been crossed, and a seed of peace has been planted. On the far-flung island of Lothien, as two kingdoms prepare for a union that promises the end of a centuries-long feud, a second question still persists—and no one knows what to do with her.

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Princess Elanora—“Just call me Nora”—is struggling to fit into the royal ideal shaped by her flawless twin sister. Browbeaten by her father’s cruelty and grappling with the near certainty that she may never be queen, Nora finds welcome distraction in her new guard, whose sudden appearance at the crux of momentous change feels like more than mere coincidence. Mysterious, with an unsettling dislike for the king, she can’t help but wonder if her guard is everything he seems.

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A chance encounter by the river Avon forges an unexpected friendship between Nora and her sister’s betrothed. Charming, and only a little smug, it seems Brenland's prince might just be the friend she needed. Forced ever closer by unending conflict between the island’s figureheads, they find exciting—and dangerous—solace in each other, under the shared weight of their kingdoms.

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Beyond the shelter of Dunwall Castle, a threat is brewing across Lothien. An unseen hand is stirring the people’s discontent, and tensions finally bubble over in a traitorous attack that leaves Dunwall stunned—and Nora mortally wounded. When all seems lost, and the world around her begins to fade, her father is forced to unleash a power in order to save her—a stolen power he’s been hiding in plain sight, which will shake the foundations of what she thought was the truth.

 

Faced with unimaginable tragedy, and with Lothien teetering on the brink of war, Nora will be forced to confront her family’s oldest betrayal and decipher the island’s most ancient secrets if she is ever to reclaim her people’s trust—and save the man she loves.

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Click here or on the cover to read a sneak peek!