Torn from her beloved convent home, Delia is forced to marry Areus of Lortia. The contract states she must deliver an heir within a year or the marriage can be annulled. Delia vows to control her fate by ensuring there will be no child—until she is mesmerized by Areus, the proud, virile warrior king. Areus agrees to marry Delia to gain her father's army to continue his fight against Hypatios, the mad prince of Zaltana. He doesn't expect to fall in love with a convent-reared mouse, but from the first, Delia rouses his lust and touches his heart. Their life together hangs in the balance as the war with Zaltana advances and Areus discovers Hypatios is far more than just his sworn enemy.