First published 2025
Kel Saren serves as body double to Prince Conor in the glittering city of Castellane. After a massacre strikes the royal palace, Kel must identify the killers to protect his beloved prince. His only lead points to the Ragpicker King, the criminal mastermind who controls Castellane's underworld. The investigation draws Kel into the Hill's decadent noble society, where Artal Gremont leads a conspiracy against the royal family. Gremont plans to marry the woman Kel loves. Meanwhile, Lin Caster faces deadly consequences for claiming to be the Goddess Reborn to save a friend's life. Her people's leader arrives to test her supposed divine powers. Failure means exile. Only the Ragpicker King can help her access the magic she needs. Prince Conor asks Lin to heal his father's madness, but the King suffers from ancient magic that tempts Lin even as her feelings for Conor deepen. As tensions explode in Castellane, Kel and Lin must choose their allies carefully when betrayal means death.
Genres: romance, adventure, mystery, fantasy, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, political-intrigue
Setting: Castellane, The Hill
Period: Ancient
576 pages · Hardcover · Del Rey
Content warnings: violence