My protector is gone, revealed to be a monster. But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I’m no princess bound within a tower.

I am a shadow.

Twenty-two-year-old Vasalie Moran was once a gifted dancer in King Illian’s court – until he framed her for murder without explanation. Barely surviving her two years in the dungeons at the cost of her mind and body, she’s suddenly called to face her King. He offers her a deal: become his spy at the month-long royal Gathering and he’ll grant her freedom.

But dark forces are at work within the Gathering’s halls. As Illian’s orders grow bloody and dangerous, forcing her to harm and betray those around her, Vasalie discovers the monster she serves may be aligned with a bigger monster – one far closer to home. With her world and freedom threatened, Vasalie enlists the help of Illian’s brother and greatest adversary, the King of the East, who despite his devil-may-care reputation proves himself to be both politically astute and surprisingly kind.
 
As the rivalry between brothers escalates with Vasalie caught in the middle, the truth of her past, including her imprisonment and the real reason Illian chose her as his spy, comes to light. If she wants to survive, she must decide who to trust, who to fight for, and how much of her soul she’s willing to damn in the process…