Queen Merrin might be the least queenly queen in all the realms-because proper queens don't sneak out at night to drink with their guards.
But when her closest friend-Queen Beau-vanishes after confessing a secret that could shatter their reigns, Merrin disguises herself in a cloak and ventures into forbidden territory alongside three knights... including Windley, the kingdom's most notorious flirt. Windley's mood-shifting hair and dangerously enthralling touch make him as irresistible as he is suspicious-and as Merrin navigates cursed woods and ancient lore, she becomes bound to dark magic: shadowy echoes only she can command. To save Beau and protect her realm, Merrin will have to risk everything-especially her heart-on a guard whose secrets could change her destiny. Tropes: banter & bite - queen on a mission - guard/queen romance - found family - dark magic bond - quest stakes For fans of: The Princess Bride banter Throne of Glass stakes Serpent & Dove-style atmospheric slow burn.