Talia has returned to court as the Queen’s Own Herald, just in time for a storm of political scheming.
With heir Princess Elspeth now of marriageable age, foreign suitors and ambitious nobles descend on Valdemar with one goal: control the crown. Talia is ready to unmask the traitor orchestrating the chaos, but before she can act, she’s sent on a diplomatic mission to evaluate a proposal from Prince Ancar.
What she finds is no courtly romance. Beneath Ancar’s polished charm lies something darker—an ancient, forbidden magic spreading through his kingdom like rot.
Cut off from help, Talia must find a way to outwit a sorcerer and send a warning home. Because if she fails, Valdemar won’t face a royal scandal. It will face annihilation.
