Princess Kennah has spent her entire life trapped by duty. Promised to Prince Aric since childhood, she has always known her future was never hers to choose. As the princess of Erysa, her fate is already written—marry the prince, unite two powerful kingdoms, and secure a future she never wanted. But when a series of deadly attacks shake the castle, the fragile peace surrounding the kingdom begins to crack. After the loss of her longtime guard, Kennah is assigned a new protector. Laiken is everything she doesn’t expect—quiet, distant, and impossible to understand. Determined to keep her at arm’s length, he refuses to be drawn into her world. Yet as danger continues to close in around them, the walls between princess and guard slowly begin to crumble. For the first time in her life, Kennah finds someone who sees beyond her title and expectations. Someone who makes her feel less alone. As political tensions rise, secrets lurk within the castle walls, and enemies move unseen in the shadows, Kennah begins to question the truths she has always accepted. The closer she gets to uncovering the mysteries surrounding the attacks, the more dangerous her world becomes. With an unwanted marriage fast approaching and the kingdom on the brink of chaos, Kennah must decide whether to follow the path chosen for her or fight for a future of her own. In a world built on duty, power, and deception, one choice could change everything.