In the heart of Evermore Stronghold, I was nothing. A nobody from a house that held no influence. But my mother's scheming ways had brought me to the very edge of the power that controlled our realm. I was lucky to have any position at all, but nothing was ever good enough for my mother. When I first laid eyes on General Thorne Valerius, I knew I had to find a way to be his lover. But the general was betrothed to the only daughter of a family far more powerful than mine could ever hope to be. Kristabella Palimentari was the only one standing in the way of my desires. Convinced that my path to his heart lay in removing Kristabella from the equation, I became entangled in a treacherous game of deceit and desire that could only have one outcome... or so I thought. But as I put my plan in motion to replace Kristabella in the general's heart, and in his bed, I found myself entangled in a web of deceit and desire that threatened to destroy everything... I never expected to fall passionately in love with Kristabella, the very woman I sought to manipulate. Caught between my desire for the general and my growing affection for Kristabella, I was faced with an agonizing choice... Stay the course, or burn everything down to stay by her side.