Trust is more valuable than gold in a world where traitors conspire, and even shadows demand payment. Lady Evelyn Montgomery, only daughter of the Baron of Rayne, detests the thought of marriage and vows to never allow a man to control her. To escape the constraints of propriety, she steals away from the safety of the keep and stumbles across a plot designed to ignite tension between England and Scotland. When a mysterious hooded man steps in to save her, she must decide if he is friend or foe, and if he truly means to aid her despite his charm and the burgeoning attraction between them. Hiding beneath his black cowl and blending into the night, Gabriel, a Shadow Guardian, is bound by honor and duty to protect the Baron's daughter at any cost. But Lady Evelyn is far from the delicate flower he anticipated. When he confronts her with his admiration, she remains steadfast in her determination that no man will possess her. He must convince her love can be more than possession before the traitor tears them apart and he loses her forever.