Marry the frivolous prince? No! The quiet yet strong-willed Ella Duvaux would much rather stay in her tiny room where she can dream of erotic games of submission with a hero like the mysterious jouster known only as the Shadow Knight. If she can't convince one of her equally reluctant stepsisters to marry the prince, she'll lose her home and her dreams. Prince Giles needs a wife with a big dowry to save the indebted kingdom. The lady he wants, the demure yet privately wicked Lady Ella, has no dowry and no interest in him. Is winning her over worth the risk to himself and the monarchy?