Being the only princess of Mador means nothing when the kingdom is rotting from the inside out, and my brother, the king, wants to claim more than his crown. My whole life I’ve been silenced, mistreated, and blamed for his desires. After barely escaping his twisted obsession, I flee the kingdom with one thought. Revenge. Turns out, there’s a whole world of monsters outside Mador, and their throne is up for grabs. Four provinces will come together to compete for their mate—and the crown—in the Imperial Trials. I don’t want a mate, but I need the army to destroy my brother and his vile kingdom. Only, I refuse to enter as a woman. I'll never be that powerless again. My greatest threat? The four ruthless heirs with a hidden agenda. Veric, the callous sister killer. The identical twins, Xanth—his province’s golden boy, and Zave—the stuttering unclaimed who wears his hate on his sleeve. Then there’s Killan, the striking lunatic with a psychotic smile and voices in his head. I'll enjoy sabotaging their every move as I unravel their secrets. May the most cunning and ruthless candidate win—or die trying.