I failed. I failed myself, my country, and most importantly, my son. That was my last thought before I died.
Parmour is a country borne from a failed United States. The war of 1812 bankrupted and then fragmented the Republic experiment. Parmour's young monarchy is at a precipice between failure and civil war.
Zefren, orphan to a devious stepfather, turns eighteen soon. Eighteen is the age of manhood, the age for adventure . . . and the age he can break free from his stepfather's shackles. Soon, Zefren will escape from the cruelty of his two stepbrothers. But barriers threaten Zefren's hope for freedom-love, money, and a death threat.
Gilda, heiress, the daughter of Parmour's ruler, turns eighteen soon. Eighteen is the age she must marry, the age to fulfill her duties . . . and the age that shackles her to a life of rule. Soon, loneliness derived from wealth, power, and position will imprison her. But a kiss puts into question her obligations to duty, family, and country.
Zefren lives a life of servitude. Gilda was born into a life whose single purpose is to rule. Their worlds collide at a masquerade ball. Gilda enjoys the anonymity behind the mask, and the company of a young, mysterious man. Likewise, Zefren finds a boldness behind his mask. At the end of the night, all Gilda has from the young man is an unforgettable kiss and half of his broken mask-the clue she will use to find him.
As their unlikely relationship strengthens, so do the dangers surrounding them. Gilda and Zefren unwittingly unravel a conspiracy that has spanned generations-a knowledge driving desperate people to kill. Knowledge that can crumble the mighty Parmour rule. Knowledge that has the power to tear their new love apart.
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