For some girls, age eighteen is the magical age of freedom and independence. For Aerys, turning eighteen means an arranged marriage to a man she's never met before, leaving the only home she's ever known, and accidentally discovering things she never knew about the world, about her family, and about herself, things that have been lurking beneath the surface all along. However, each new discovery brings new questions with it, and the answers could lead in some very dangerous directions. She and her fiancé, Dmitri, must decide whether or not to find the answers to these questions and what to do with the knowledge they gain. To change the game instead of living by others' rules, they must look beyond what they see.

Look Beyond What You See

"Is there a place we can sit down?" I wince, sounding more petulant than I wanted to. I can t help it. We ve been dancing at this ball for what feels like an eternity, and my feet are killing me because of these insane shoes.

"Certainly, if that is your wish," Dmitri responds with bemusement, "but I thought we were having a lovely time—"

"Much as I ve enjoyed the dancing and overhearing the gossip, if some relief is not found for my feet, to release them from the torture devices they ve been strapped into—"

"Ah, yes, of course. Right this way. There may be some respite near the champagne and hors d oeuvres." My fiancé takes my elbow and leads me off the dance floor, but then, much to my dismay, Zinaida floats directly into our path.

Chapter 20 Secrets Revealed