Secrets, discoveries, and a persistent assassin force Prince Talin to watch the shadows, until his friend and confidant, Princess Ayne Edelweiss, arrives back from her trip to Zhongguo. Together, they create a plan to exile the queen and place the young prince on the throne, in an attempt to save his life.
In a palace that's always listening, can this defiant prince survive the brutal reign of his mother, heal the broken wing of Starlight, the snowy owl, cope with the discovery of Ayne's magic, and convince the entire palace that his wedding isn't a charade?
Can Prince Talin learn to forgive the unspeakable acts of Faramund and his mother, and take the first step to becoming a great king just like his father?