The story takes place in the Kingdom of Eldred, a fictional modern constitutional monarchy in Central Europe. Following the sudden death of the old king—who left no will—the throne was left vacant. Cyril O’Rein, the late king’s younger brother and Duke of Hesse, assumed control of military and political affairs as regent and became the ultimate arbiter of the succession. Cassian Vaughn, heir to the long-established noble House of Thorn, seeks support in his bid for the throne. To this end, he drugs his fiancée—Ilarra Blackley, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Sanderson, with whom he has been in love for seven years—and sends her to the Regent’s bedchamber as a bargaining chip to secure political resources. Heartbroken, Ilarra completely severs ties with her former lover and, having burned her bridges, accepts Cyril’s proposal; the two become a couple in name only.
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