After the Great War, the realm teeters on the brink of chaos, plagued by unrest and fragile alliances. The Unseelie Court has long been dormant and nearly forgotten. Until now.

Princess Zara of Masseda would do anything to avoid becoming queen. Reckless and selfish, she longs to be free from the crushing weight of her crown. But when her stepmother forces her into an arranged marriage to Prince Leer of Lanray, Zara has no choice but to accept her fate. Unable to shift like most Fae, Zara is seen as a liability, especially by Leer's brooding and arrogant squire, Alfrie.

Haunted by his tragic past, Alfrie owes his life to Prince Leer. Supporting the prince’s engagement to Princess Zara is just another one of his duties and he expects Zara to be just like every other royal—spoiled and blissfully unaware of the world beyond their sheltered lives at court. And when they meet, Zara’s clumsy magic and childish behavior prove him right.

But after a brutal attack on Masseda by the Unseelie court, Alfrie is tasked with teaching Zara to hone her shifting abilities to prepare for an imminent battle, igniting a forbidden spark between them. In the midst of buried secrets and the looming threat of war, they discover their shared enemy may be closer than they imagined, and Zara’s greatest threat might be the one male she can’t resist.