Growing up in the longest period of peace in Lionessa, Princess Sybelle never imagined that she’d one day have to fight to keep her kingdom. When her father dies, everything in Sybelle’s life changes. The once-peaceful kingdom is marked by war, her inexperience is mocked, and her sickly brother is used as a pawn in a political game that threatens to take what is rightfully hers. When King Nero calls for her to marry his son, Sybelle knows what she must do to maintain control, but doing so will unleash a wickedness within her that could potentially prolong the war or possibly cause her to lose her kingdom. Can the newly-appointed Queen succeed with so many obstacles in front of her?

Fresh from her victory against King Nero of Evrad, Sybelle settles into her role as Queen and with not a moment to spare. A fleet from the Kingdom of Azura looms just outside the shores of Lionessa, inching closer and closer with each passing day. Upon landing on the sands of Lionessa, King Alessio offers Sybelle a chance to avoid the humiliation of defeat and to forfeit half of the newly-claimed land of Evrad to him. Still bitter over King Alessio's refusal to help her against King Nero in the early days of her reign, Sybelle declines, despite being troubled by the prospect of leading her people into another war.

The conflict has ended. Queen Sybelle nears the end of her pregnancy, yet finds herself embroiled in another dispute that will dash her hopes of maintaining peace. As his ships are plundered and his trade is stifled, King Crios of Ludorum is at his wit’s end and demands that Sybelle breaks her alliance with the pirates and puts their unlawful business to an end. The decision to do as he asks weighs heavily on her mind. Should she sever all ties, she risks instability for her people. Should she defy the order, she risks their chance for peace. Now, she finds herself torn between her desires and the fear of becoming a monster.

While Queen Sybelle rules her kingdoms and conducts politics from her palace in Lionessa, Gyles Arrer travels to Azura. Unsettled by the changes, the Azurians struggle with the strong presence of their longtime foes; the pirates that their new Queen has called her allies. Between friendships, old and new, the outbreak of the war with Ludorum and his own demons, Gyles is left with the task of maintaining Queen Sybelle's rule and holding an entire kingdom together.